The Skywalker Saga-Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
by Vikesman100
Summary: Three decades after the Empire's defeat, a new threat arises in the militant First Order. A spy, a renegade, and a scavenger must team up with Han Solo and Chewbacca in order to find Luke Skywalker before the forces of darkness extinguish the flame of the Jedi!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note** : Thanks for visiting my story page! Star Wars has always held a very special place in my heart. It was the one thing that I was able to use to escape from a boring childhood. Over the past two years, I've noticed a divide in the fandom. I loved The Force Awakens, but The Last Jedi left a hole in my heart I can't really explain. Star Wars has grown into something each of us cherishes differently. Whatever your feelings on Star Wars currently are, I hope you can enjoy this story I've created. Star Wars was always meant to be a myth, and over time, myths change. Its my hope that I can provide a story some of you can find enjoyable. I know I have loved writing it so far! In this story, you will see it is very similar to TFA. That was my point. I wanted to make it familiar, but at the same time different. There is an OC character, who will be one of the focal points of this trilogy, along with Rey. I despise characters who have no flaws whatsoever. I've attempted to fix some of the characterization from TFA. Enough of me jibbering though. Hopefully you want to read my story! Without further ado, here is Star Wars: The Force Awakens!

* * *

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away

STAR WARS

EPISODE VII

THE FORCE AWAKENS

Luke Skywalker has vanished.

In his absence, the sinister

FIRST ORDER has risen from

the ashes of the Empire

and will not rest until

Skywalker, the last Jedi,

has been destroyed.

With the support of the

NEW REPUBLIC, General Leia Organa

has sent her most daring spy

On a secret mission to Jakku,

Where an old ally has discovered

A clue to Luke's whereabouts.

She is desperate to find her brother,

and gain his help in restoring

peace and justice to the galaxy…

Chapter I

Leia was tired. She was tired from always having to be the one to speak her mind, to be the leader. In the past she had embraced this role as her calling in life. But now, as she got older, it wore her down even more. She had no idea how Mon Mothma had been able to do it all those years ago. Leading a rebellion may have been hard sure, but it was much easier too. At least they all had agreed the Empire needed to be toppled. Now it was difficult just to decide where their next session of Congress would be held.

She had thought it would be much easier now with many different voices. She assumed that because the people had a say in the galaxy, things would improve. And they had, for a time. While it was easy to rebuild planets and the economy of the galaxy, it was much harder for the intangibles to take root. She had begun to realize power hungry individuals were beginning to take hold again and that freedom would soon be lost if something were not done. She had resigned from the Senate and taken up a role in Intelligence branch strictly because of this. But she needed help. She needed her brother. If he wasn't dead of course.

She had insisted not to be trained as a Jedi. She had told him she did not want that extra burden. He respected her decision, but still showed her the basics of the Force and to help her understand her powers. She knew he was not dead, because she surely would have sensed his passing. Her spy had uncovered a clue to Luke's whereabouts during one of their extractions. This spy was the right one to go of course, as they were experts at retrieving information and people from almost anywhere in the galaxy. Even from the rising threat of the First Order.

Even if others mocked her for her fear of them, she would not allow this threat to be taken lightly. Others may have forgotten the Empire, but she certainly did not. She remembered the fear, the death, the total destruction. She would never allow such a thing to happen again. Not when she could stop it. She would need to conduct a war in the shadows to stop them until the Republic was brought to its senses.

So the spy was sent, along with a pilot, to retrieve the information and extract the individual responsible for it. She needed all the help she could get in finding her brother.

"Finding one man should not be too difficult general," Insisted one senator from the Mid-Rim. "There are only so many places to hide in the galaxy."

"Perhaps," she had replied. "But Luke Skywalker is more than just a normal man."

The senator had offered no other argument than that, except for the spy chosen of course. They had claimed he was too young, but she had argued his experience more than made up for it. She looked herself in the mirror before stepping out into the command room. She noticed her age but still saw a young woman who had helped lead a rebellion. But now was no time to reflect. The First Order was on the march and ever an increasing threat to the galaxy. Even if war had not officially broken out yet, Leia knew, as so few others did, that they would need to be prepared for the eventual conflict.

 _Where is Luke?_

* * *

The massive Star Destroyer _Finalizer_ emerged from hyperspace. Like a moth to a flame, it was drawn to this planet to carry out its deed. It was constructed in secret away from the prying eyes of the New Republic. The Treaty of Coruscant had forbid the Empire from building vessels of this size ever again. But that did not stop the First Order. They had waited for a time and many fanatical followers grew impatient to test out their devastating weapons of war. The Supreme Leader had preached patience, but even in all his power, he could not hold them back. He gave his blessing and instructed his enforcer to do his bidding. Nothing would stand against the might of the First Order.

Transports belched from the belly of the _Resurgent_ -class Star Destroyer. These vessels had the role of landing troops to wherever the Supreme Leader demanded. Ocean worlds, dense jungles, barren deserts, it did not matter. The troops they transported would perform their roles with brute efficiency. Without mercy.

The inhabitants of the barren planet Jakku below had no idea what was about to visit them. On board these transports, the white-armored troopers prepared for assault. They had been briefed on their mission here. There was silence everywhere. Sure, there were a few adrenaline surged moments where troopers talked about facing the enemy. But the officers and squad leaders kept it under control.

Weapons were armed and double-checked. Troopers made sure to inspect the dull white armor of their neighbors. One trooper in particular was worrying. He had felt different for several days now, had even talked about it with his squad mates. They told him he was going crazy, but he did not believe that for a second. His one comrade had suggested to talk about it later, but that never materialized. Something had changed, what that was, he did not know. He attempted to get confidence from the trooper sitting right next to him, but the only noise that could now be heard was the thunder of the transport making its descent.

A squad leader issued a command. "Prepare for landing!" At this command, no trooper would dare talk now. Their weapons at the ready and their bodies tense, they realized the change in pressure meant they were about to land on the surface. They knew what they were about to do.

* * *

There were villages spread out all over Jakku. Some of them were centered around trade with other villages. Some were dependent on the massive ship graveyard that the planet had become since the end of the Galactic Civil War. And others preyed on the weaker villages, to steal what was not theirs. But not this village. Not on the watch of Lor San Tekka.

He had once been a teacher, so protecting his students translated easily towards protecting an entire village. It was a peaceful place, despite the bleak landscape. Villagers farmed and exchanged goods with others. All were welcome here, as long as they did not incite violence. That would not be proper of course.

This night would be a cold one. Despite the fact Jakku was a desert world, the nights often became miserable here. Clouds were moving in and a slight breeze was blowing. One could hear the native life off in the distance. But this was not the concern of a small droid. The droid had a small round head that floated on the top of a larger sphere. It was white with intense orange markings on its sides. Its name was BB-8 and in this moment, the droid was very concerned.

Thanks to enhanced reconnaissance optics, the droid could see much farther than a normal human could on a night like this. Way off in the distance, the droid observed multiple light points. It could mean nothing, perhaps just traders who lost their way in the dunes. But tonight was not a time to make mistakes. The droid knew it to be something else entirely.

Making calculations as it sped back to the village, the droid became increasingly panicked. It knew its friends were in trouble. BB-8 had to warn them. The mission was dangerously close to being compromised. This eccentric little droid would not allow that to happen. It rolled through the outskirts and into the main part of the village.

The village of Tuanul, described by locals as "the peaceful jewel" was home to many species of people. They all watched as this small droid made its way through the village, beeping so they would know it was directly below them. Some of them cursed this tiny machine, while others found it amusing. BB-8 dodged and weaved through the throng of people and trade goods in an effort to reach its destination. Birdlike creatures in cages meant to send messages pecked at the droid as it rolled by. They inflicted no damage of course, as they were locked away in cages. BB-8 shrieked at them regardless and continued on.

The residence he was trying to reach was home to the leader of the village, a weathered old man with eons of information about all happenings in the galaxy. How he had obtained such information, the droid did not know. But BB-8 needed to reach its occupants if they hoped to make it off this planet alive.

* * *

Though they were exhausted, Cade and his pilot, Poe Dameron, tried not to show it to the old man. They had come a long way for this information through difficult and dangerous circumstances. They were ordered here by General Organa and she trusted them entirely to complete the mission.

Cade looked over at his pilot and friend for a moment. He realized throughout their time together that he was able to maintain his dark, thick waves of hair. He had no idea how he had done it. And Poe did not look tired at all, which Cade knew to be a façade. Somehow, he had remained confident throughout their entire mission. Those who did not know Poe personally would assume this just to be arrogance. But Cade knew his friend was one of the best damn pilots he had ever met and that he was just confident in his abilities. His brash nature was what made him unique.

Unlike Poe, Cade was oftentimes quiet and reserved. He was in his early twenties, with a light beard and intense blue eyes. He was good at getting people out of sticky situations and had made a career out of it. He did his job well. He didn't feel the need to show off. He had no clue how Poe had become his friend. He was still wearing the red and sand-colored jacket Cade had given him when they first met. Even though he did not like it at first, it was just the type of person he was.

From the moment of their arrival, they both had remarked how small and isolated this village was from the rest here on Jakku. But that was only a testament to the ability of its leader, Lor San Tekka. He had made it prosperous and the villagers were happy. Cade met Lor at a young age and the two developed a friendship that would last until their dying days. He was relieved when the general had informed them they would be extracting him. Though their visit had been brief, he had enjoyed his time with an old friend. Cade only wished it had come at a better time.

They were seated in Tekka's hut. It was small but comfortable. It personified the man sitting in front of Cade and Poe. He reached out to touch Cade again and gave him a small leather sack. Cade took it in his hands and smiled, knowing what it was, its importance.

"This is all I can do these days. I wish I could give you more Cade." He sighed. "There is much that needs done, but I'm afraid in my age, I won't be much help. But… this will begin to make things right."

As he withdrew his hand, Cade gave a reassuring look to Poe and tightened his grip around the bag. He was careful, as he knew this was their only lead to finding Skywalker.

"I don't know how you did it, but you can still do it at your advanced age. We are incredibly grateful." Cade said, smiling at his former teacher and friend. "But you need to come with us. There's still so much more you could offer the Republic."

Tekka shrugged and looked him straight in his eyes. Cade knew it was his way of expressing his true meaning. "I offer them nothing but what I have already taught you Cade. This is my way of assisting. I can no longer ignore the anguish and fear that threatens the galaxy once again. Something must be done. Without the Jedi, there can be no balance in the Force. The dark side will once again be victorious." He gave Cade a serious, foreboding look, one he had not given him in a long time. "You must find Luke."

Poe observed Cade and realized his friend had adopted a look of dread on his face, as if he did not want to say the words that were coming out. "I know."

Before they were able to continue the conversation, a metal sphere burst into the room. The droid began spewing chatter at Poe before the three of them exited and rushed towards the village center.

Poe reached for his quadnocs and began scanning before he and Cade stopped running. He aimed them towards the direction of the sky BB-8 had indicated. He allowed the automatic tracking feature to take hold on numerous targets. Without turning towards him, Poe spoke to Cade.

"It's the First Order. Troop transports, carrying about eighty soldiers. We need to leave."

Cade looked at Tekka, with the old man already attuned to the situation without the need for quadnocs.

"You're coming with us, I won't let you be slaughtered by the First Order. They have a kill order against you."

Tekka was unmoving in his response. "No, you must leave me. I'm an old man with my purpose already fulfilled."

Cade was hesitant in his response, saying something Poe had never heard him talk about before.

"I won't leave you, not again—"

The older man cut him off. "You were a child then. Now you are a spy with a mission, a duty to protect others. My life is nothing compared to the atrocities the First Order is capable of committing. Now go!"

Cade and Poe hesitated a moment longer before saying "May the Force be with you."

Tekka nodded and turned away to see to the defense of his village without looking back. Cade and Poe took this as their cue to leave. BB-8 paced them effortlessly as they weaved through dozens of armed villagers. Poe wondered how they had come into the possession of these weapons, but decided it would be better not to ask. They had finally made it to their ship.

It was well hidden below an outcropping of rocks. But this would not hide their U-Wing from more advanced search gear for long. They needed to exit the planet, and fast. Cade unlocked the ramp door and Poe rushed for the cockpit. BB-8 went to the droid socket located directly behind Poe. Cade took his normal spot at navigation. The warm-up started and the various controls started to flare up.

"All systems green, we're good to go." Announced Cade.

From his vantage point in the cockpit, Poe could see figures in white armor emerging from the transports and firing on the villagers. Their weaponry confirmed their identification. Elite Stormtroopers. They fired without mercy on the defenders. The brave villagers stood little chance against the training of the First Order. Troopers began to set fire to various structures of the village. Poe was outraged. He saw no reason behind it. But to the First Order, there need be no reason other than to create fear and terror.

He was interrupted by an anxious BB-8. "We're going, Beebee-Ate, we're going! Almost there…" He thumbed another control and the landing lights snapped on. The engines whined to life. He was about to roll clear when suddenly, the ship started to rock. A pair of Stormtroopers had come up to the ship unseen and began to fire on the engines. They were disabled without any resistance

Cade reacted quickly and grabbed his weapon, a Blastech DH-17, a favorite among Rebel Alliance marines from many years ago. He opened the hatch and was able to fire off two quick shots, taking down both of the troopers. The threat handled, he returned to find BB-8 and Poe frantically trying to repair the engines with no luck.

"I've got no power to the main thrusters, Beebee-Ate see if you can root power to the auxiliary drive!" BB-8 complied, but was met with no results as the power dampeners shocked him and launched him across the bay.

"The engines are completely shot, there's no way we're getting off this rock." Said Poe, desperate for any other alternative.

Cade looked at Poe, then back at the village under assault. He reached in his jacket pocket and grabbed the small leather bag. "Take this with Beebee-Ate and run." He placed the artifact inside a pop-out tray in BB-8. "Get to Niima Outpost, it's not far from here. Find a transport, find a way back to the Republic." Poe stared at him dumbfounded. When a few moments passed between them, Cade continued giving orders. "You need to complete the mission commander. I'll hold them off for as long as I can. You're our only hope."

Poe looked again at Cade, worried this would be the last time he would see his friend. He decided the mission was more important. He and BB-8 began running for the dunes before looking back at Cade. "Good luck!" he yelled over the chaos of the battle. Cade gave him a quick finger salute and headed off to join the village defenders.

* * *

The fight in the village was brutal. While the inhabitants were clearly outmatched, they would not surrender willingly to the First Order. They fired back and would continue to do so until all hope was lost. One trooper was shot straight in the chest and went down like a rock sinking in a lake. His companion rushed to his side, worried about his comrade-in-arms. A bloody hand reached up and touched the trooper's helmet. He had no idea combat would be this kind of hell.

The fallen trooper quickly lowered his hand, and as quickly as he was shot, his life faded from him. The trooper who had rushed to his side was in shock. His weapon hung at his side, unfired. He stumbled off, beginning to see some of the village defenders being rounded up. He watched as madness ascended around him. He watched his fellow troopers commit atrocities he could never have imagined. Something had gone terribly wrong and for the first time in his entire life, the trooper felt helplessly alone.

Cade rushed forward into the fight, taking shots at Stormtroopers whenever he was given the opportunity. He rallied around some of the defenders and when they had eliminated the troopers in their immediate vicinity, they advanced, hoping to find others who would be willing to fight. Homes were burning and voices cried out in terror. Cade was not accustomed to war on this level. Sure, he had heard stories from his father about war as a child, but nothing prepared you for something this brutal. He was an expert at extraction and information, not taking the enemy head on.

Cade immediately started to scan the defenders to see if he could find Lor. He knew he would be disappointed in his choice, but there was no other way. He had to hold them off for Poe and give them time to escape. Maybe, just maybe, they would be able to hold them off. His hopes were dashed when he heard a shuttle approaching, one that looked and sounded imposing. He knew who was on that shuttle immediately. His worst fears were realized when troopers came from behind them and took out two of his party. Cade and the remaining defenders of the village had no choice but to surrender.

* * *

Lor San Tekka was escorted to the center of the village by two Stormtroopers. He had felt the darkness as soon as the shuttle entered the atmosphere. It landed and a tall hooded figure emerged from its ramp. He advanced without wavering and Tekka was resigned over his fate. The figure stood within feet of him, examining him much as one would examine an artifact from a long time forgotten. But he was not afraid. He stared back just as hard.

The figure was covered in a black robe with the concealing his head. Covering his face was a black mask, with a slanted forehead and a breathing apparatus that was not needed. It covered the man known as Kylo Ren. Once, Tekka had been a teacher to the man underneath the mask. But now he had become someone else, something else. An agent of evil.

Ren was the first one to speak, without ceremony, as he had wanted this meeting for a long time. "The master has at last been captured by the student." The voice was distorted, sounding almost human-like but sounding more in tune with a demon.

Tekka had been expecting this. "Something far worse has happened to you my friend." He was not fazed by any of this, in fact he wanted to toy with Ren for as long as possible. But words had no effect on this faceless creature. There was only impatience.

"You know what I've come for."

Before Tekka could respond to this, two troopers deposited Cade beside him. He gave his old teacher a look of "I couldn't help myself" and a shrug. Tekka only returned sadness. The one trooper said "We found this Republic spy with the villagers sir." Before moving away back into formation around the villagers.

Cade then turned his attention to Kylo Ren a few feet away from him. Before he could come up with a barbed insult, Ren began to laugh ever so slightly. "Really? How fitting that two of your former students should see you fail."

Once again, Tekka was not intimidated by Ren. To Cade, it looked as if he was simply meditating as he once did many years ago on the Bazarri Mountains. "You do not belong with them" Tekka said calmly. "I knew you before you were known as Kylo Ren. I know the man is still there, somewhere."

From behind the mask came a growl: feral, but distinctly human. "Careful. The map to Skywalker. We intercepted the transmission this spy sent you." He gave Cade a look that brought back numerous terrible memories. For a moment, Cade did not know what to say. "We understand you've acquired it. And now you're going to give it to the First Order."

Tekka responded as he always did, with thought and purpose. "You must feel the light's pull inside you, to know darkness is not your path."

It was at this moment Cade decided to be involved in the conversation. He spat at the feet of Kylo Ren, but this meant nothing to the dark warrior. He continued on with his first interrogation, impatient at the turn it had taken.

"How is it possible that a conversation becomes so tedious, so quickly?" He motioned to the village and its inhabitants. "Do not make this a tragedy for these people." A hint of sadism emanated from the voice behind the mask and Cade did not like where this was going. "Hasn't your presence done enough for them already?"

"I made my peace with these folk long ago. To turn away from your heritage is the true tragedy."

Ren stiffened as he approached Tekka even closer, his rage becoming ever more apparent. "Enough witless banter old man." He held out his hand, like a child demanding a toy. "Give it to me."

"You may try," Tekka responded with defiance, "but you cannot deny the truth that is your family."

Kylo Ren seemed to not be bothered by this statement. But Cade could feel the rage coming off him. It was like a massive tidal wave crashing against a beach. His rage flared and before Cade could realize what was happening, a lightsaber appeared in one hand, flaring to life. It was an unstable crimson blade notable for the two smaller projections at the hilt: a killer's weapon. This dark warrior's fetish of choice. "You are so right."

And just like that, Cade witnessed his former teacher be cut down by a monster filled with rage.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

Cade cried out in agony as the life slipped away from his former teacher and friend. He stared at his lifeless body for a while before Kylo Ren deactivated his lightsaber and knelt before him. "What's the son of Luke Skywalker doing so far out of Republic space?' Kylo asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. It was almost as if he was going to enjoy this interrogation. "I almost didn't recognize you with the beard. What has it been, eight years?

"You know how long it's been Ren." Cade had decided in that moment that he would not be intimidated by him.

"And a spy for the Republic? You've done well for yourself Cade." He motioned to the two troopers stationed behind him. "Search him. Thoroughly."

One of the troopers who had dragged him to what he thought would be his execution stand commenced a detailed and not too gentle pat down. They wanded him with a device from their belts and checked what seemed like every crevice of his attire. The examination took 30 seconds, if that. The First Order was nothing if not efficient.

"Nothing," declared the first trooper, standing at attention. The other trooper gestured with the handheld instrument. "Same here, sir. Internally, this one is clean."

Ren stared again at Cade, trying to intimidate all he could. It was partially working on him too. While he felt fear, he knew the man behind the mask and how to get under his skin. They had been family after all. "The map to Skywalker, where is it?"

Cade would enjoy frustrating him. "You would like to know, wouldn't you?"

Ren, obviously frustrated and not willing to have another pointless argument, decided he would attempt to end this one much quicker. "Captain Phasma." He called the most senior officer in charge of all the Stormtroopers to his side. She stood at attention, her chrome armor reflecting off the burning building and her cape fluttering in the wind. "Execute the villagers." She gave the command and the troopers all raised their weapons into the ready position.

Cade, startled that Ren would go to these lengths to find his father, protested. "No! Wait!" He was desperate to not bring them any harm. "Wait, I'll tell you whatever you want! Just leave them in peace!" Ren held up his fist and the troopers held their fire.

Kylo Ren was pleased at his ability to manipulate him so easily. "We have a deal Skywalker. Take him to my shuttle." The two troopers began to escort him to the lowered ramp. He looked back to see Ren and Phasma discussing something. Five children were picked from the crowd and separated. Cade watched in horror as the rest of the villagers were cut down by the squadron of Stormtroopers. Ren yelled at Cade from across the courtyard with satisfaction in his voice, "Next time be more specific, Skywalker!"

The troopers escorted Cade to the shuttle and before he knew it, he was sobbing, realizing what he had just done. The troopers fired at the feet of the freed children and they scattered into the night. When the firing was over, the troopers chatted amongst themselves as they started their search of the village. Standing alone, the trooper with the bloody helmet was startled when a hand came down on his shoulder. Though the hand belonged to a comrade, he did not relax.

"Noticed you didn't fire. Blaster jam?"

Without even thinking, the trooper nodded. His comrade gestured knowingly and clapped him on the shoulder. "Turn it in when we get back to base. The tech guys will get you a new one."

"Thanks. I will."

Just as he turned around, he found himself gaping at the tall, dark-robed figure. He had seen him countless times before, but this time he was afraid. In response, Kylo Ren stared at him and the only thing the trooper saw in the reflection of his mask was himself and his own fear.

 _He knows. He must know. And I'm…dead._

But he wasn't. The glance lasted no longer than a second. Ren resumed his pace, obviously deep in thought as he made his way back to the shuttle. The searching of the village continued to the outskirts, where some of the troopers found the damaged U-Wing. Having examined everything there, they returned to their units.

"Nothing here," they declared as the last of the troopers emerged from the ship. "Typical Republic trash; that's all. Deep scan shows nothing of note in the fuselage or elsewhere." As soon as he was out of range, he comrades activated the detonators in the ship, blowing it sky high.

The sound of the exploding ship reverberated across the flats and dunes. Far away now, BB-8 and Poe stared up at the fireball in the distance. They had taken shelter in a small cave. Poe was extremely upset at himself. He knew he should have gone back for Cade, but wanted to complete the mission. He knew what he had to do. He instructed BB-8 to hide at their secondary extraction point and wait for him to return.

He snuck his way back to the village and managed to hide in the crevice of a First Order transport. He could hear the troopers above him as they re-entered their vehicle. He knew that Cade would still be alive. A prisoner as valuable as him would not have been executed with the rest of the village. But he had to hurry once he got aboard their vessel. There was no way Cade would last long under interrogation.

* * *

The shackles Cade had worn on the troop transport were removed as soon as they entered the Star Destroyer. Here there was no need to restrain a prisoner. Perhaps they were just that confident that he wouldn't try to escape, he had no clue. They were either enjoying themselves or perhaps just wanted to get out of their armor; they pushed him along with unnecessary roughness. Stormtroopers were not known for their manners after all. Considering his importance though, he thought he would be treated a little more dignified. After all, they needed the information in his head if they were to find his father. But that could quickly change, he knew.

On the other side of the gigantic bay, troopers were filing out, grateful they had not lost too many comrades. They paid no attention when one of their own fell behind. When he was convinced no one was looking, he turned and fled back into the troop transport. He removed the bloodied helmet and proceeded to vomit in the nearest receptacle. There was no one there to experience his humiliation, except for Poe hiding below the deck, unknown to the trooper. Then a figure approached.

Terror gave way to fear as he found himself gazing back into the icy stare of Captain Phasma. Had she seen what he had done?

Her presence commanding, she indicated the rifle he was still carrying.

"FN-2187. I understand you experienced difficulty with your weapon. Submit it for inspection at once."

"Yes, Captain." He managed to say without stuttering.

"And who gave you permission to remove that helmet?"

He swallowed hard before replying. "Sorry, Captain."

He felt her disgust as he struggled with the helmet. "Report to my division at once," she said.

He knew that he was in for it now.

* * *

This was where technology went to die.

There were mountains of metal everywhere. Ships of all sizes were jumbled together to create one massive graveyard. People did not journey to this part of the planet anymore, not since the war. None except a brave few who believed scavenging through the remains had become their sixth sense.

One of these individuals clung to the wall occupied by sensors and other decaying mechanisms. The figure was clad from head to toe in protective desert gear. Goggles, a face mask, gloves, and grey desert clothing were the only apparel they had in this harsh climate. They busied themselves with attempting to find as many parts as possible to be either refurbished or sold. She was burdened with purpose and got to work filling her satchel.

When it was full, she shut the bag and secured it, careful to tie it shut. She did not want an entire day's work to be wasted. She descended the fifty meter rope she had climbed earlier, careful not to hit any of the sharp projections on the wall. She soon arrived at the bottom of the metallic cavern. She then hefted a piece of larger salvage and used it to carry the contents of the hunt. It was dark in the cavern and she headed toward the small bit of sunlight she could see from her vantage point.

As she exited the caverns, she shoved the goggles up on her forehead and squinted at the sunlight bathing her surroundings. She was just over twenty years old, with dark hair, darker eyes, and a feeling that something was wrong with the world. This world had attempted to bring her down into a pit of despair, but that is not something she would allow.

Her haul today had been sufficient, enough to ensure that she would have food for the night. Pulling a canteen from her belt, she wiped sweat away from her face and shook the remaining contents free. Having been somewhat satisfied from the meager amount of water, she used the larger piece of salvage as a sled and travelled down the dune. She had been inside an aging Star Destroyer, one that pirates and other scavengers thought they had picked clean. But the scavenger Rey knew otherwise. She just had to look in the right places.

Once she reached the bottom, she dusted herself off and began placing the salvage in holding containers on her speeder. Although she wore basic desert garb, it was treated with a chemical that protected her from the sun and preserved moisture. It stank, but it was a life saver in an environment like this. Her speeder was in the same predicament. Built from parts of various other speeders, it failed from time to time, which made it difficult to travel. But it was solely hers, something not a lot of others could say who scavenged this area.

Once she was done loading up the haul, she climbed into the driver's seat. Then after a moment's hesitation, the engines fired up and she was on her way. It reflected her life here on the barren world. Hesitation, then success. It was all part of the Jakku charm, or so she told herself to keep sane.

She accelerated along the flat desert terrain, maneuvering through various rows and piles of ruined spacecraft, obsolete fighters, and long forgotten Imperial ships. No one came to this world, unless you wanted to hide or just forget who you were. She looked down at her instrument panel and realized she would need to gain altitude. Some of the wreckage had shifted over the past couple of days and the path through was no longer reachable. It would cost her, but she had no other choice unless she wanted to be picked off by raiders bordering the graveyard. Jakku was a dangerous place.

But she would have fun doing it, the only fun she could have on this world. To feel the breeze on her face as she rose was exhilarating. She had not been able to fly ships for years. Once, she repaired them and made a decent living off it. But times changed when ships became increasingly rare on Jakku. She did a barrel roll and laughed, as she tried to push the negative thoughts out of her mind.

By the time she descended, she could see Niima Outpost off in the distance. It was the center of her galaxy, established some thirty years ago after the end of the Galactic Civil War by some long forgotten crime lord. It was home to many different inhabitants and offered anything a person living this far out in the middle of nowhere could want. For a price of course.

She smiled, knowing she was kidding herself. Niima outpost was about as backwater a spaceport as possible in this part of the galaxy. It was an armpit of a town and no one was friendly. Unless you owed them money. And it was the sort of friendly you didn't want to encounter. With this method, the desert would take care of anyone who dared step out of line. So the best path was to often keep your head down and not ask too many questions.

As long as she was able to work, Rey did not want to suffer this fate. She parked her speeder and unloaded her salvage. She dragged it toward the one community center in the outpost that was open to anyone willing to do business. No one offered to help with her load.

Once she was inside from the elements, she unpacked her day's work. She began to clean the items she salvaged, much like everyone else around her. There were humans and non-humans. Here at Niima, all were treated the same. She was careful to keep an eye on her goods. While the talk here was mostly about gossip in the town or commenting on findings, others preyed on the weak and weary. Rey kept a careful eye on an older woman she had suspected of stealing in the past. She could not prove it of course, but wanted to remain vigilant.

As she was cleaning, she noticed a human male loading cargo onto a ship's open ramp. He paused for a second and a young child emerged from the ship. The man rustled the boy's hair and he ran back inside the ship. She noticed that her brush cleaning an electronic dampener was imitating the same motion as the father. She quickly brushed the thought aside and returned to her work.

She finished much sooner than expected. She navigated her way through the throng of scavengers to the exchange booth. It was made of metal and sat above the ground just ever so slightly. This served as a reminder to any who sold salvage to Unkar Plutt that they were beneath him. He was the boss of Niima Outpost. If you crossed him, you were as good as dead.

Rey approached and noticed the Crolute seemed to be in a poor mood today. He was hunched over and she could see his stout build was not helping matters. His skull was hairless and the rest of his body rather pudgy. He had almost three layers of neck and was covered from head to toe in dull desert garb, much like Rey. She did not like Plutt, as he was prone to give unfair deals, especially to Rey. She kept their business transactions to an absolute minimum. He on the other hand, took his time, seeming to enjoy making her suffer for as long as possible.

"This is a decent offering. Today you get a quarter portion." He said in his deep and raspy voice. She could tell he was delighted by seeing her so disappointed. She did not say anything and instead took the packages which appeared in the transfer drawer. One contained beige powder, the other a solid slab of something she did not want to think about when she ate it. "That's my girl," Plutt commended her as she walked away. She turned and left, moving as quickly as possible to get away from this vile being.

Back out on the salt flats, she parked her speeder and began walking towards her shelter. She had built it from scraps she had acquired from the past decade, finally happy to have moved away from the prying eyes of Unkar Plutt. It was an amalgamation of parts centered around the broken hulk of an old AT-AT walker. It may have been old and rotting in several places, but to Rey it was home.

After carefully unloading her gear, she remembered to make a scratch on the wall. Each scratch marked another day she had survived this inhospitable place. Each morning she would look at it and it gave her the confidence that she could survive the new day as well. She had attempted to make this place her home with small items of décor, but it was no use. The desert withered everything she attempted to make. Only she remained.

She began to make her evening meal. She stirred the mixture and it expanded into something resembling bread. She cooked what passed for meat and devoured both without thinking about what it really was. She had no interest in knowing either. All she cared about was that it kept her alive. It was much easier to survive when she had friends. They would pool their resources and be better off for it. To be able to care about others was something she longed for. But most of her friends had either ran away from this place or died. So she had grown hard. It was the only way to survive.

When she had finished, she looked out the window and saw a contrail of a freighter leaving for parts unknown. She often wondered what the galaxy was like. She wondered if she had made a mistake in choosing to stay when many had offered her the opportunity to leave. She was waiting for her family. They had dropped her off here long ago for reasons she did not know.

Unkar Plutt had made it his mission to watch over her, but once he realized how hard of a worker she was, he abused her. It made her rebellious and resentful, but made her fiercely independent. She taught herself how to read from old datapads she found during her scavenger hunts. Some of them old records, personal journal entries, even stories about daring heroes. She would often dream about why her parents had left her here, but realized whatever she dreamt could not be the real reason. It seemed on this planet that things would never change, that there would only be repetition.

There was the occasional mention of a galaxy outside this place. She had often overheard of "The First Order" in the marketplace, but she just drummed that up as a legend. She knew nothing like that would ever bother her out this far. It was a backward world. And she was alone.

She heard something off in the distance that was not shifting sand. It sounded like it was squealing of some kind. She grabbed her staff and ran off in that direction. It sounded electrical, but she could not place it. The noise was repeated again, and she doubled her pace. Reaching the top of a nearby dune, she observed what the commotion was all about.

An older scavenger had run across a droid and was attempting to capture it with a net. The droid was running back and forth, attempting to evade the scavenger. To Rey, it was quite comical. But from the beeps of the droid, she understood that this was not its owner and that the scavenger had abducted it against its will. She decided to call a momentary halt to the situation.

" _Tal'ama parqual_!" she muttered in the scavenger's native language. Motion ceased as both the Teedo and BB-8 whirled around and peered up at her.

" _Parqual! Zatana tappan-aboo_!"

The scavenger attempted to control the mount which was also involved in the corralling of the small droid. The Teedo yelled back at her through the mouthpiece of the goggle-eyed helmet which covered its reptilian cranium. It was threatening to say the least, which Rey took offense too. It was no way to talk to a fellow desert-dweller. She motioned toward the rider with her staff. " _Namago_!" she growled. " _Ta bana contoqual_!"

The Teedo realized this was not a fight worth having and decided to mount his animal and ride away into the distance. Rey and BB-8 watched as the Teedo rode away. She decided to wait a decent amount of time before speaking to the little droid. "Shhh," Rey was quick to quiet the droid. "Don't tempt him. Enough insults can override anyone's common sense." BB-8 immediately went silent. They watched as the scavenger and his beast rode off in the distance.

An electronic query drew her attention. Rey knelt beside the droid.

"Why did I help? I dunno, just felt like the right thing to do I guess." She had worked with droids before and was able to understand their queries based on the tone and inflection of their beeps. It was almost like a second language to her. She leaned forward and immediately noticed the droid's head. "Your antenna's bent." As she examined the droid, she noticed he had significant blast markings all over. This peaked her interest.

"Where'd you come from?" The droid beeped a reply. Rey shook her head. "I don't know what that means."

He beeped again, followed by a string of different sounding erratic bops. This time, she smiled. "Oh. Classified. Really? Very interesting." Rising, she started back toward her dwelling. She gestured to her right. "Niima Outpost is that way. Stay off Kelvin Ridge. Keep away from the Sinking Fields up north or you'll drown in the sand. Otherwise, you should be okay. The closer you get to Niima, the less likely you are to run into raiders."

Beeping softly, the droid started to follow, halting only when she turned on it sharply.

"Don't follow me. You can't come with me. I don't want anyone with me. You understand?" This only prompted more beeping from the droid and it was distinctly anxious. She started to grow angry. "No! And don't ask me again. I'm not your friend. I don't have any friends and don't want any." She turned away once more and the droid continued to follow, making beeps with desperation that made her feel sorry for it. She thought he seemed harmless enough.

"Alright fine, but in the morning," she said firmly, "you go." An excited response came from the droid, happy he would not be abducted again. "Fine, you're welcome." Another series of beeps and this time she laughed. "Yes there's a lot of sand here." The droid let out another long series of beeps, almost as if it had had no one to talk to for some time. "Beebee-Ate? Okay. Hello, Beebee-Ate. My name is Rey. No, just Rey." The droid continued beeping all the way back to her shelter. "Look you aren't going to talk all night, are you? Because that won't work. Humans recharge by sleeping, we don't plug in." BB-8 let out an acknowledging squeal. "Good, keep that in mind and we'll get along fine." He beeped one last time as the two of them disappeared behind a dune.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III

The holding cell, if one wanted to call it that, had no bars. It was not like any traditional prison. It was not needed here aboard the ship. If you were caught by the First Order, there was no escape, nowhere to run. It was hopeless to resist.

Cade knew he had to. There was no other way to put it. He still held out hope that somehow, Poe had gotten away and was making the trip back to Leia. She would be able to convince his father to rejoin the fight. He had some measure of hope left in him. It was the only lesson that stuck with him through the years. But now the man who had taught him that was dead. The man who should have done so was hiding away from the entire universe for reasons unknown. Cade was beginning to sink into depression, which is exactly what his captors wanted.

He was strapped to the chair tightly, unable to do anything but turn his head. Over the past couple of hours he had become familiar with his surroundings. The holding cell was small and void of any light except for the red overheads which came on every hour or so. It was meant to disorient the occupant. Cade had never been captured in all his missions, but had extracted prisoners of the First Order before. Rarely did they last under interrogation for long.

At first they did not ask him any questions; they merely beat him. The punches were delivered with skill. They were meant to hurt him, and they did. They would not result in any permanent damage. By the end of the third such session, Cade was bloodied and covered in bruises. All in an attempt to get him to talk. He knew they were only softening him up for the main interrogator.

Suddenly the door slid open, blinding him with artificial light from the hallway. The figure blocked it out for a moment, then the door shut and he was once again surrounded in darkness. But he knew who was in the cell with him. He could feel the anger, the pure hatred. It was unstable, but focused.

From behind him, he heard the distorted voice of his captor. "I was reading your databank entry. We assumed it was an experienced spy who pulled off the Ord Mantell job." Ren sounded like a joyful child playing their favorite game. "We had no idea it was you. How did you manage to escape us?"

Cade was unimpressed by his knowledge and was not willing to play his game. "I can't give up all my secrets." The lights came back on, but Ren was nowhere to be seen. Was he communicating by other means? Was this all just a trick to confuse him even more?

Suddenly, Kylo Ren was standing a mere few feet in front him. Not knowing what came over him, Cade threw himself against his restraints in a final effort to escape. He wanted to fight this vile man who had dared to once call himself his family. It was counterproductive. He simply tired himself out. Ren sensed his determination and began pacing in front of him. "You were always so willing to fight. A pity you did not join me."

Cade became enraged, knowing full well this only fueled his captor onwards. But he didn't care. It was the first time the two of them had spoken in years. He had to release the anger bottled up inside him. "And you were willing to be manipulated by others! That is the mark of a true coward." Satisfied, Cade stared at the figure in front him and awaited his response. Ren stopped pacing and started to move closer to Cade.

"Comfortable?" he asked, knowing full well the conditions were less than suitable and ignoring his insult.

Cade did his best to sound detached after his outburst, but could not help but sound like a child from many years ago. "Not really." He gestured with his shackled hand at the rest of the cell. "This place leaves something to be desired."

Ren laughed and continued on with his interrogation. "None of this need be necessary. It could be like it was before. We could change the galaxy, you and I. Just tell me what I need to know."

Cade did not consider this for a second. He was many things, but he knew himself well enough that he could never turn. There was too much light in him. "No," he responded, knowing full well this interrogation was about to get much worse. "I'll never join you."

Clearly seeing this was the choice he was going to make, Ren decided he would be more direct. His tone of voice darkened. "Where did you put it?"

Cade looked at him impassively. "Where did I put what?"

"Please, this is only a waste of time. I will get what I want, one way or another. Yet, you continue to act like a child. You are only causing yourself more pain."

Cade steadied himself, knowing he was challenging Ren. "I am no longer intimidated by you or your thugs." He heard a sigh from behind the mask and only knew unpleasantness was about to befall him.

"Let's change that." He extended a hand towards his prisoner and silent agony overcame Cade. He began to struggle under the pressure of the Force. But he knew how to fight back this time, or at the very least, how to put up a stubborn defense. Ren was surprised by this and decided to push harder, to delve deeper into his mind.

"Do you remember the pain? The sense of failure?" Ren could tell it was working. A myriad of emotions, mainly sadness, floated across the face of his prisoner. Cade was trying as hard as he could to fight back, but he was fighting a losing battle. He could not give up any information. He could not give up hope.

Cade could tell his interrogator was gaining a degree of pleasure from this _conversation_. "You have no hope. Give in, you have the power to end this." Cade again struggled, thrashing in his restraints, attempting yet again to make a futile escape. "Yes, run away, like you did before. Do you remember the suffering? It engulfed you." Cade began to relive the horrible memories all over again. He could hear the screaming, the deaths happening all around him. And like before, he could do nothing to stop any of it.

Ren was enjoying this too much. He needed to break him and obtain the information. He had no time to waste. He did not want to disappoint the Supreme Leader by toying with him. He could finish him later. "Do you remember feeling helplessly alone? Do you remember?" Cade looked up at Ren with this statement, uttering a guttural negative. He began to scream and Ren knew at that moment he had him. "Tell me." he murmured, only louder than a whisper. "Where is the map?"

* * *

General Hux was waiting outside the cell door for him. The interrogation had taken longer than expected. The officer need not ask whether or not his rival was successful. No matter how determined or skillfully trained they were, no prisoner could keep information long under questioning from Kylo Ren.

Ren stepped out into the hallway, keeping the door open. The prisoner was bloodied and unconscious. Hux could tell he had had too much enjoyment. The voice behind the mask was unnervingly detached. "He does not have it. The map to Skywalker's location is with a droid. An ordinary BB unit, with orange and white markings. It is being accompanied by a pilot. They should be no trouble for us."

"That makes it easy, then. We might even be able to recruit some locals." Hux was plainly pleased by this news, but it meant nothing to the hooded figure. He turned and started to walk away as Hux asked a question. "Should we toss the prisoner out the airlock? We have what we need from him." He knew the answer that would come from Ren, was almost enjoying this small exchange they had.

Ren came to an immediate halt. He turned around. "No. I wish to interrogate him later."

Hux was delighted by this chance to verbally spar with the First Order's enforcer. "Careful, Ren. Personal feelings should not interfere with direct orders from Supreme Leader Snoke."

Ren just stared at Hux from behind the mask. He did not know what facial expression he was giving, but could tell by his body language he was enraged. He did not want to be challenged by someone he thought as less than himself. But in reality, they were of the same rank. Both reported to the Supreme Leader. They just merely tolerated one another. "I will deal with him when I am ready to return."

Ren moved off to his chambers to meditate. Hux, delighted at the turn their conversation took, headed back to the bridge. One way or another, the Supreme Leader would be pleased by the end of the day. Hux was certain of it.

* * *

Even to a droid, Niima Outpost was not impressive. BB-8 observed every detail of the place for future reference. He was done within seconds. None of it was very encouraging.

Rey unloaded him from her speeder. She once again was carrying the satchel, loaded with new finds from a day's worth of scavenging. She saw BB-8's indecisive turn toward her, but she motioned to the town instead.

"There's a trader in Bay Three. Calls himself Horvins. Don't be put off by his appearance—he's actually a decent sort. He might be willing to give you a lift to wherever you're headed. So…"She paused a moment, not really wanting to say goodbye but knew she had too and shrugged. "Goodbye."

She had not even begun to take her first step before a series of beeps caused her to look back. She laughed, saying "Oh really? Now you don't want to leave? I thought you had somewhere important to be?"

The anxious little droid let loose a series of beeps she understood to be sadness. It was nothing like she had expected. She knelt to look at the droid in his eye. "Don't give up hope just yet. He might still show up. Whoever it is you're waiting for." She paused. "I know all about waiting."

The droid beeped questioningly.

"For my family. They'll be back. One day." She tried to smile, but could not manage to do it.

BB-8 moved closer to her and beeped softly, trying to reassure her. This only angered her and she stood up.

" _What_? No! I'm not _crying_!" She turned around and immediately walked off without looking back. The droid followed along anyway and continued to beep comforting statements at her, irritating her even more. Her eyes continued to water as she made her way into town and she gave up on trying to have BB-8 leave her alone.

Maybe one day things will change, she told herself absently. But she knew this to be a fallacy. On Jakku, the only thing that ever changed was the amount of food one got. If the parts were no longer good or the village you lived in stopped trading, death was the only release. She stepped up to Unkar Plutt's hut and hoped he would at least bathe before her time ended.

The vile merchant inspected the salvage himself, per usual. But his attention was not on the parts, but rather BB-8, who hid himself behind Rey like a frightened animal would with their owner.

"Two interlifts. I'll give you a half portion. For the pair."

She reacted immediately on this news. "Last week they were a full portion each, and you said you wanted more of them." She gestured at the two parts. "Here's two of 'em."

Plutt kept an apathetic look when he spoke. "Conditions have changed." He lifted one of the parts and examined it further. He pulled a component from it. "Besides, this one is missing a membrane. I don't pay for incomplete equipment." Before she could object to the obvious scam, he leaned forward. "What about the droid?"

"What about him?" she asked guardedly.

"Is he with you?" Plutt smiled, which was never a good thing with a mouth like his. "I'll pay you for him."

Behind her, BB-8 beeped apprehensively. Rey ignored him, intrigued by the offer. "He might be."

Plutt began to drool. "Then why didn't you offer him up with the parts? I'll offer you sixty portions."

She somehow managed to not fall over from this offer. Sixty portions was a lot of food. A lot. She could focus on other work for a change, maybe even enough time for— _fun_. That was a word she had dropped from her vocabulary long ago. Beeping furiously, BB-8 nudged her. The droid was following the conversation and did not like where it was headed. "Quiet" she muttered.

He did not stop beeping, so she decided to thumb a sequence on his head which muted him. She now had time to think without the beeps flying at her. She could try to get more for him. "One hundred portions." She said. That would be enough to get her whatever she wanted on this planet. Maybe even the opportunity to buy her own ship.

Plutt was surprised by the counter demand and obviously unhappy about it. Not that he didn't enjoy arguing. Haggling was something he was good at, just not something he expected from Rey. He did not think she had it in her. But it did not matter, he wanted the droid and would stop at nothing to get it. So he smiled again.

"Your audacity surprises me, Rey. I admire you for it."

"Yeah, yeah. Do we have a deal or not?" She tried her best to stay expressionless.

"How can I resist such a tempting offer?" He replied. "One hundred it is." He began to climb off his massive throne. "Allow me to collect such a large payment. Please be patient."

Rey could hardly believe what was happening. She was overwhelmed with joy, as there might finally be change in her life. She was so ecstatic, she went as far as making small talk with the shop owner. "What are you going to do with him? He travels well, but doesn't have service limbs."

"I'm not keeping him for myself." He spoke absently as he began to stack the nutrition packets on the counter. "Certain parties have asked about a droid like that. It's none of my business what they want it for." He glanced over in her direction, tired from the heavy strain. "If I find out, I'll let you know." She moved to take the packets and head off, but something pulled at her. It wasn't compassion. While she had felt bad for selling a droid that did not belong to her, she needed to do what she could to survive. It was something she had never felt before, telling her it was a bad idea to sell the droid. Whether it was intuition or something else, she knew she had a change of heart. She looked back at the merchant.

"Actually- the droid isn't for sale. I made a mistake." She moved the food packets away from her side of the counter and unmuted BB-8. She took the packets from the earlier deal, gave the droid a look, and they started walking away from the stand. Plutt was outraged and called out to her. "We already had a deal!"

She grinned and echoed a statement he had made earlier. "Conditions have changed." Before he could respond, she walked away from the stand past a line of astounded scavengers. No one had dared insult Unkar Plutt like this before. It was unheard of, mainly because it was such a stupid decision.

Plutt tried to control himself, but could not. He yelled at her. "You are… you are nothing!" Rey thought this to be amusing. She knew she was free and had her pride. That was all she needed in this instance. BB-8 was beeping excitedly beside her as they began to walk past her parked speeder. But Plutt was not happy. He would get that droid, one way or another. It was worth too much. He just had to come up with a plan to do so.

* * *

Reconditioning had taken its toll on FN-2187. He had spent hours in the simulator and he simply wanted to sleep in his bunk. He begrudgingly plodded his way through a series of hallways and made his way back to the barracks. Other troopers were there, clearly off duty. They were playing cards, talking amongst themselves, or trying to get some rest. He overheard the conversation some were having as he was getting out of his armor.

'I can't believe that mission was so easy." One of his comrades said.

"Yeah, they didn't stand a chance against us." Said another. The talk continued about how the enemy was weak and the First Order was on the verge of victory. The troopers began to talk about what the galaxy would be like under the rule of the First Order. Many were excited about such a prospect, but FN-2187 was not. It just was not the same for him. He went about his business and decided to get some sleep.

That did not help matters. When we awoke some hours later, he found his fellow troopers still playing games. He had to start his next shift, so he decided to get into a fresh set of armor. Each trooper was issued two sets, so they could have one cleaned while the other was being used. He was just about to put the faceless helmet on when one of the troopers called him over.

"2187, what gives? Thought you'd join us for some fun after the mission."

He was not wanting to engage in conversation at this time. "Wasn't really feeling up to it. Had to spend time in the simulator. Captain's orders."

The other troopers decided to jump in to haze their fellow trooper a little. "What's the matter? Did your blaster get shaky? Happens sometimes to the crazy ones." They all proceeded to laugh. 2187 had mistakenly trusted this group earlier with his questions. Only one of his comrades had stood up for him and said it happens. But he had died in the firefight now over a day ago. He had tried to save him, but it was no use.

Having no other alternative, he decided to try once again to get through to them. "Can't you see what we're doing is wrong? We killed innocents. Children. They had no stake in this fight." It immediately got quiet in the barracks. Troopers looked at one another before their sergeant stepped forward. He had a large scar running across his face and was the oldest one in their squad.

"FN-2187, are you questioning orders?" He was a good foot taller than the questioning trooper and easily struck fear into those he commanded.

2187 was quick to answer, respectfully of course. "No, sir. Maybe the Captain interpreted the orders wrong. Maybe we got bad intelligence. We should go to the General and voice our concerns." The sergeant just stared at the trooper, not saying anything for several moments. Just then, another trooper walked in just having recently gotten off duty, still wearing his armor.

"FN-2199, stay in your armor." The trooper stopped and stood at attention. "Escort 2187 here to reconditioning. It seems the simulator didn't do its job properly from his session before."

"Yes, sir." The sergeant motioned for 2187 to follow the trooper. With everyone in the barracks looking at him, he complied. He put on his helmet and was escorted through what seemed like endless hallways. It was as if he was on auto-pilot. He had no control of his feet.

The black slanted hallways all became one giant blur. He started to wonder why he had to comply. Was there something wrong with him? He had never felt so insubordinate in his entire life. Maybe they were the ones being insubordinate? He knew that to be a lie. They turned a corner and he felt something he had never felt before. Guilt.

Guilt for his actions at the village. Guilt for not being able to save his comrade, the only one who actually understood him. But in that moment, he was no longer on auto-pilot. He was fully aware of his surroundings and the faceless troopers occupying the ship. He wanted to change, he wanted to be better. He no longer wanted to be a mindless follower. He wanted to be an actual human.

He knew one thing for sure, he would not go back to reconditioning. Not ever again. But he needed to get away from his escort first. He needed to think of something fast, or he would never get out of this cycle. He saw a maintenance closet approaching and came up with an idea.

He quickly turned around, startling his escort. "Have you ever heard of the Corellian Fast Mover?"

"No? What's that got to do…?" Was all he was able to get out before 2187 shoved him into the closet and knocked him out. He thought it was much easier than he planned on it being. Stormtrooper training really prepared him for taking on fellow Stormtroopers. He was about to leave when he heard the arming of a blaster come from the corner of the room.

"Didn't realize this was going to be part of the tour." Said the unknown voice. 2187 had to take off his helmet and squint in the faint light to realize who was staring him down. It was a man with dark hair, wearing a red and sand colored flight jacket.

His plan to escape had gone horribly wrong. He thought this was going to be easier. "Who are you?" He demanded, wanting to know the identity of the strange man. "You some kind of bounty hunter sent to track down disobedient soldiers?"

"Maybe, maybe not." He shot back quickly. "What was your plan here? Just knock your buddy out as some kind of joke?"

2187 thought about what to say next. On one hand, he could be walking into a trap. On the other, this mysterious figure may know how to get off the ship. What more did he have to lose? "No joke. I've realized I don't want to fight their fight anymore. I want to get as far away from the First Order as possible."

He didn't need copious amounts of light to know this statement took the man off guard. 2187 felt as if an eternity went by before the armed stranger replied. "So you want to defect?"

It was an odd question to ask someone, but 2187 decided to take a chance. He didn't have any other choice. "Yes, I want to defect. I want to help people, not destroy their lives."

"Good." Said the man, emerging from the shadows, coming within feet of 2187. "I'm Commander Poe Dameron with the New Republic. I need to rescue my friend and get off this ship. You want out, you're gonna help me. I can fly us out of here, but I don't know the layout. Do you know where he's being held?"

2187 was relieved at this. If this turned out to be true and not some elaborate trick, he would be able to finally escape. To be free. "Yes" was all he was able to stammer out before swallowing hard. "He's being held on Level 13. I'm FN-2187 by the way."

Poe was hesitant. "Yeah, okay we can make that work." He began looking around the closet, trying to figure out a plan of rescue when his eyes caught the unconscious trooper. He grinned. "I've got an idea." He was confused for a moment. "Wait. What did you say your name was again?"

2187 straightened up, almost as if out of habit. "FN-2187. Only name they ever gave me." He looked Poe in the eyes, not certain why he was asking.

"FN- wha?" He paused, thinking while putting on the Stormtrooper armor. "FN, well if that's what they call you, I won't. What about Finn? You alright if I call you Finn?"

Surprised and delighted, he accepted. "Yeah, I like it." No one had ever given him a name before.

"Alright Finn, since you know the ship better than I do, let's go rescue our friend." The two of them exited the supply closet with Poe clutching his jacket. It was odd to see a Stormtrooper carrying a personal item, considering such things were frowned upon by the officers. But as they walked by the enemy, no one seemed to notice. Finn was excited. He had never had friends before.

* * *

Slumped and shackled to the chair, Cade was still breathing. But he was in a lot of pain. The beatings were starting to catch up to him and the mind probe from Kylo Ren had taken its toll on him. He kept telling himself it was going to be alright, but he wasn't so sure now. He had given into his fear and anger. Because of this, he was now reliving the moment his entire world had crashed around him. It had taken him years to move on from it. He had no idea whether he could move on this time. But he might not be given the opportunity to figure that out.

He was of little value to the First Order now. If anything, he welcomed the prospect of being released from this hell. Kylo Ren would be back any moment to finish what he started. He dreaded another confrontation with him. He had given up the clue to his father. Whatever his feelings on him were, he still loved the man. He knew what Ren would do to him if he found his location. He knew what it would mean for the galaxy. He was ashamed he had given up so easily.

His head came up as the door to the cell whooshed open. At least it would be over soon, he thought to himself. The two troopers entered the room and directed their attention at the lone guard. What the one said surprised him.

"We're taking the prisoner to Kylo Ren."

He began to sag once more. What more did that vile creature want? He had no idea what else he could do, except to torment him further. But he then realized it suited the thing he had become.

The guard was thinking along the same lines. "I was not told to expect you. Why would Ren wish to question the prisoner outside the cell?"

The other trooper spoke, with his voice sounding all too familiar to Cade. "Do you dare question Kylo Ren's motives?" He knew his mind was playing tricks on him. He had suffered severe head trauma after all.

"No. no. that's not what I meant! I…" Without another word, the guard proceeded to release the prisoner from his shackles. It took twice as long as it should have, since in his sudden nervousness he kept fumbling the task.

Protocol dictated that the troopers keep their weapons trained on the prisoner at all times as they made their way down the corridor. A rough prod with the weapon caused Cade to stumble and nearly fall. He was so exhausted that the other trooper had to pick him up.

"Turn here." Said the one trooper to the other.

The passageway they entered seemed unusually narrow and was poorly lit. There were no personnel in this passage. No troopers, techs, or general crew. How fitting he would die with no one to watch. But just as he thought his life was about to end, the one trooper removed his helmet to reveal his friend Poe! Cade was so shocked he almost collapsed. The other trooper caught him before he hit the floor.

"Poe!" Cade went in for the bear hug. "You came back for me! I can't believe—" He was so excited to see his friend, he had forgotten completely about the mission. "Wait a second. You disobeyed orders. Where's BB-8? Please tell me you didn't bring the _map here with you_?"

"Don't worry buddy, I've got it all under control. BB-8 is down hiding on the surface. We just have to escape and go get him. Then we can make haste for Republic space. Easy."

"Easy, you call that easy?" He was beginning to grow frustrated with this escape plan. "In case you didn't notice, I just can't walk off this ship without it being noticed." Cade started looking at the other trooper. Was it another member of the Republic? How did they find Poe and sneak their way aboard the ship? "Who's this?"

The other trooper took off his helmet and Poe started to explain. "This is Finn. He wants to defect to the Republic. He can get us the clearance codes we need to blast off. All we have to do is get to the hangar and steal a ship." Finn extended his hand and Cade took it reluctantly. While he was happy someone had a change of heart, he did not fully trust him. This could all be some elaborate ruse constructed by Kylo Ren. But he sized Finn up and down, trying to ascertain his true motives. When he felt only honesty exuding off him in the Force, he decided to trust him. Part of his old life wouldn't fail him now.

"Alright. Let's get to it then. You two lead the way." The two of them put their helmets back on and escorted him out of the corridor.

"This way." Said Finn. Cade adopted the look of a prisoner about to meet his doom instead of a man who had just had hope restored to his life. They just might be able to pull this thing off. What they were attempting was bordering on the insane. It was nearly impossible to sneak onto a Star Destroyer. It was even more so to get off one. But they were about to accomplish both, or so they all hoped.

The very unfeasibility of it worked in their favor. Prisoners did not escape. Just as Stormtroopers did not desert their posts to help said prisoner escape. Passing ordinary troopers was one thing. Officers however, were a completely different game. All it took was for one of them to ask what they were doing and they would have to blast their way out. Cade tried to keep his head down while his two "guards" escorted him to a nearby data bank.

A group of officers was approaching them. "Stay calm, stay calm." Said Finn nervously. The officers passed without a second glance, giving the group hope as they downloaded a set of codes.

"I am calm." Whispered Cade.

"Sorry, I was talking to myself." After the download was complete, they made their way to the far side of the hanger.

"Oh, boy." Whispered Poe.

"Act nervous," Finn advised him. "As if you're being sent to your doom."

Cade swallowed hard. "Thanks for the tip."

The craft they were approaching was a Special Forces TIE fighter. It sat four occupants: A pilot, co-pilot, gunner, and navigator. More heavily armored and equipped with better shields than their predecessors, the black and red ship was a delight to behold, at least to Poe. If you forgot how it was made, the dark angles made the ship a thing of beauty. And the best part? No one stood guarding the fighter. It was theirs for the taking. The three of them inserted the clearance codes and climbed into the open cockpit.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV

The interior of the TIE was absolutely spotless. The droids and technicians had done their work, making it ready for the next crew. Poe examined the controls in front of him. He could fly just about anything as long as it had engines and a joystick. Some of the controls were familiar, others he had gained knowledge of reading about as a child. If it had to do anything with flying, Poe was a junkie for it.

Movement behind him caused him to glance over his shoulder. Finn had taken up the gunner controls, while Cade was nestled comfortably into the navigator's seat. Poe tried to project reassurance as he began to punch instrumentation. Hopefully this rescue didn't go astray now. They had made it this far. A whine began to rise from the ship's stern. He was brought back into the moment at hand.

"I've always wanted to fly one of these things," Poe said. He looked back at Finn. "Can you shoot?"

"Blasters, I can."

Poe thought he sounded less than confident. "Same principle! Toggle on the left switches between cannons, missiles, and pulse. Instrumentation on the right to aim- triggers to fire!" Finn nodded, clearly confused. He began to study the instruments closely. Poe looked over at Cade to make sure he was still alive. He was flipping switches and priming the navigation charts. "How we looking over there buddy?

"We're all good here boss!" He had to yell as the engines were starting to come to full power. Once they were at one hundred percent, he coaxed the ship to life. Unfortunately, it was still tethered to fuel support lines. The cables make a distinctive "twang" as they went taut, holding the fighter to the deck.

Inside the main control room for the hangar, a confused tech turned from his console to the officer passing close behind him.

"Sir, we have an unauthorized departure from Bay Two."

The First Order colonel halted in his tracks. He turned and stared out at the wide port overlooking the hangar floor. At its far end, a fighter was struggling to decouple from its support cable. This was not good news. Either simultaneous malfunctions were happening, or the inconceivable was occurring.

"Get me communications with that vessel. Alert ship command, notify General Hux, and stop that fighter!"

Throughout the _Finalizer_ , confusion expanded exponentially. Off-duty personnel were roused to the sound of claxons. Contradictory commands flew back and forth between sections. A large majority of those alerted responded slowly and reluctantly. They assumed it was just another drill.

These thoughts did not afflict the assembled troopers on the hangar deck. The _sprang_ that sounded from the pulling away TIE pressed them into action. The officer in charge was shouting, but the troopers assembled their heavy weaponry as fast as they could. Seeing the imminent threat from the pilot's seat, Poe offered his companion some urgent advice. "Okay, now would be a great time to start shooting!"

Behind him, Finn was still struggling with the controls. "I'll do my best, but I'm not sure what I'm doing…"

A massive wave of energy emanated from the fighter's main weapon emplacements. The troopers were quickly taken care of and parked TIE fighters were reduced to rubble within a matter of seconds. Another burst incinerated the hangar control. Panic soon engulfed the defenders.

Cade and Poe let out a triumphant yell as they encouraged Finn on. He kept up his fire on the incoming troops. Poe was finally able to figure out the controls fully. They accelerated and blasted their way out of the hangar, leaving smashed TIEs and ruined material behind them.

As Poe was becoming more familiar with the instrumentation on the ship, Cade was trying to plot a course to the planet's surface. They had to retrieve BB-8 and make a run for it. "Whoa!" exclaimed Poe. "This thing really moves! Finn, I'm going to need you to take out those auto-cannons, or we don't stand a chance getting to the surface!"

Finn was not expecting this. "Shouldn't we make a run as fast as we can?"

A tight grin crossed Poe's face. "We'll never make it if we do. Every time you see that destroyer, you shoot at it. Deal?"

Still unhappy this escape was not going in the direction he wanted, Finn relaxed ever so slightly. "I can do that."

Poe began to feel more and more comfortable with the ship, almost becoming a part of him. It became an extension of his body. And the nearby Star Destroyer was his own personal punching bag. As fire began to engulf the ship, he whirled and spun the fast fighter to avoid the blasts. Cade would call out their positions and Finn would shoot them. The three of them made the perfect team, taking out nearly a dozen cannons.

"Finn target coming up to you. My left, your right. You see it?"

"Hold on I see it." Finn readied himself, then unleashed fire as soon as Poe got him into position. The whole emplacement burst into a million pieces. Poe spun them around quickly to get to the other side of the ship.

Unable to restrain himself, Finn let out a yell that echoed around the cockpit. " _Yes_! Did you see that?"

Cade, being caught up in the moment, congratulated him. "Nice job, buddy!"

Poe whipped the TIE fighter around the port side of the destroyer. "Told ya you could do it!"

Cade immediately brought them back to the task at hand. "Alright Poe, take a turn at point-oh-nine. Next target should be on your left Finn."

They were going to make it out of here after all, thought Poe.

* * *

On the main bridge of the _Finalizer_ , General Hux peered over the shoulder of Lieutenant Mitaka. While there could be no single central command station on a vessel of this size, the console was still extremely effective in its job. Hux could barely believe what he had been told. Not only had the prisoner escaped, but he had managed to find his way to an operational ship and blast his way free. With a Special Forces TIE fighter, nonetheless. He had to have help. Which meant they had a traitor in their midst without even knowing it.

A shudder ran through the deck. Mitaka's voice was even, but Hux could tell the dark-haired lieutenant was shaken by what he was seeing. "They've taken out an entire defensive batter, sir. And they continue to attack. They aren't running."

Hux did not understand this. Sound logic dictated prisoners _ran_ away from prisons, not stick around and assault their jailors. They were dealing with the son of Skywalker, after all. But even he was not that crazy. Kylo Ren had broken him. What had happened in the last few hours to change that?

"Engage the ventral cannons," Hux ordered.

"Bringing them online, sir." Said Mitaka.

No matter how close a flight path Skywalker took, Hux knew that sensors would prevent the guns firing adjacent to the ship's structure itself. The longer he remained close to the ship, the more forces the First Order could bring to bear against him. Which meant he had less of a chance to escape with each passing moment.

A voice sounded behind him: unmistakable, but controlled and enraged simultaneously. "How did Skywalker escape? He isn't that good of a pilot."

Hux turned to face Kylo Ren. He was unable to see inside the metallic mask, but knew from his body language and tone he was displeased. There were many possibilities. Maybe even a combination. Either their own forces had been compromised or they had allowed a member of the Republic to rescue the son of Skywalker. It did not bode well for the general. "Yes, and he had help. One of our own. The other trooper was knocked out. We believe an infiltrator stole his armor."

Without any effort, Kylo Ren was able to ascertain information Hux did not have. "FN-2187." Hux did not know how, but Ren had access to knowledge he could never believe existed. He did not like this, not one bit. Before he was able to inquire further, Ren turned and stalked off the bridge. Brushing off the encounter, Hux turned his attention back to the situation at hand.

"Ventral cannons hot," the lieutenant reported.

"Fire," commanded Hux.

* * *

One detonation followed another as the _Finalizer_ 's weapons systems struggled to isolate the darting TIE fighter from the debris field among which it danced. Poe had to constantly change his flight path, which only made Cade's job of plotting them an escape course that much harder. He was able to use the debris field to throw off the interceptors, but knew that it wouldn't last long. They had to get clear before things got worse.

"Poe, I need an exit vector now or else we won't make it out of this!" said Cade, with worry in his voice.

Poe, clearly understanding the situation, did not need to be reminded. "I know, I know!" He maneuvered the fighter around the last debris field and attempted to get in one of the numerous lanes Cade had plotted moments earlier.

Finn was still shooting away at battery emplacements as they began to make their run for the planet. It seemed as if every gun, missile, turbolaser, and blaster was aimed at the escaping fighter.

"I'm gonna need you to shoot those missiles or we won't be making a proper landing!" yelled Poe over the chaos.

Finn, clearly trying his best with a system he did not understand, was exasperated. "Working on it!"

Cade continued to call out the vectors of the missiles to alert the other two crew members. Again they worked as a team to outrun the odds the best they could. They had to give it everything they got if they wanted to make it to the surface in one piece.

But not all the missiles were being shot down. Some got through and Poe had to use the chaff that was available to draw them off. He knew this wouldn't last long. They had to increase distance between themselves and that Star Destroyer. He looked at the distribution between shields and engines. It was an even split. If he rerouted power from the front deflectors to the engines, they just might be able to pull it off.

Before Poe had a chance to decide, Cade yelled at the top of his lungs. "Missile at one-oh-nine, bank right!" But it was too late. The missile hit the side of the left wing and completely shattered the connecting structure. Instrumentation in the cockpit went dead. Cade and Finn tried to reach out to Poe to get him to release the eject switch, but it was no use. He was unconscious.

Cade looked out of the swirling cockpit to see the planet growing larger and larger. He knew he had to do something, and fast. There was no manual release for either the gunner or navigator. Either it was a design flaw or the First Order figured it could replace these two roles easier than a pilot. Cade did not know. The seat for Finn and himself was connected front-to-back. All Cade had to do was reach over to Poe's console and flip the ejection switch. But it proved to be much harder than that.

At the speed they were going and being strapped in, Cade could not reach the switch. But he was able to see it. It was a large green toggle right beside the pilot's stick. If he could just find a way to flip it… And then it came to him. He quieted his mind, just like his old teacher had taught him, and reached out with the Force.

It had been awhile since he had done this. It was like a sudden rush of a thousand different senses. He could feel the ship, the heat it gained as it entered the atmosphere. He could also sense the presence of his two comrades aboard the ship. Both were still alive, but Finn was clearly distressed. Cade saw the button in his mind and reached out. He tried and tried, but it would not work.

He had to open his eyes and focus on the switch. He reached out with his hand and with all his might, he willed the switch to move. It twitched slightly, so Cade dug deeper. He thought about the mission and the people he would be protecting, but it still wouldn't budge. He started screaming and thought about his family and loved ones. Suddenly, the switch flipped to the eject position and his sight was filled with visions of the yellow planet below. He quickly passed out.

* * *

On the _Finalizer_ command deck, General Hux had moved away from the station. He wandered from console to console to ask each of the technicians a series of questions about the skirmish. His anxiety from the encounter was lessened when a tech looked to him to report.

"They've been hit, sir."

His expression remained the same, but inside he felt intense satisfaction. He studied the tech's console, his attention flipping from one readout to the next. The details seemed to confirm this, but Hux wanted to proceed with caution. "Destroyed?" he asked, impatient for an answer.

The tech looked away hurriedly at his console. "No sir, it would appear they are only disabled. Parts of the fighter are becoming detached in the atmosphere as we speak."

Hux, satisfied at this, proceeded with his line of questioning. "What is their expected touchdown?"

Again the tech studied his console, squinting as he did so. "They are projected to crash somewhere in the Goazon Badlands. At this rate of velocity, we cannot be certain of their exact location, sir."

Hux nodded thoughtfully. "They were going back for the droid. That's the only explanation that makes any sense." His tone darkened. "Regardless, we cannot be too careful with Skywalker. Send a detachment to the crash site and any surrounding villages. I want them found. I need tangible proof. Biological traces are acceptable, but a skull would be best." Hux walked back towards the command blister, leaving the relieved tech behind.

* * *

It felt to Finn as if it took him longer to escape the confines of the gunner's seat than it took to travel down to the planet. It would seem as if the very thing that had saved him was now preventing him from getting to his feet. He had to follow a sequence of events before he was able to emerge from the safety harness. Eventually, he was successful and he staggered to his feet.

He immediately took in his surroundings. For as far as he could see, there was nothing but sand dunes around him. The sky was blue and clear with no clouds in sight. He immediately noticed about ten feet to his left, another ejection seat buried in the sand. He immediately ran over and started digging. It wasn't before long that he was able to pull Cade out from the wreckage. He puffed sand out of his mouth.

"Thanks" he said, looking up at Finn as the former Stormtrooper helped the spy to his feet.

"Don't mention it." He said, further observing his surroundings to see the cockpit of the TIE fighter sinking in the sand. The two of them ran up the dune to see if their friend had survived the crash.

Logic insisted that no one would be able to survive the crash, but the two of them were able too. They had to see if Poe was lucky enough. The sand sucked at their feet as they stumbled forward, one of them in heavy armor, the other in a lightweight blue and grey jacket. They ran into the rising smoke from the cockpit.

"Poe! Say something if you can hear me! _POE_!" yelled Cade as they looked through the debris. He was not expecting a response, but he was hoping for one.

Flames had quickly joined the smoke, making it hard for the two of them to look through the wreckage. They were careful not to cut themselves on any of the protruding metal shards that were still white hot from entry. But they pushed on, hoping to find their friend. They were about to give up when Cade saw something- an arm sticking out of the wreckage.

Ignoring the licking flames, Cade reached in until he was able to get a firm grip. He gripped with one hand, then two, then pulled- and it came free. It wasn't a hand, but instead Poe's jacket. Frustrated, he threw it back into the slight breeze and tried to enter the ruined cockpit. Finn was trying to help, but there was only room for one. The increasing smoke made it hard for Cade to see.

" _POE_!" he screamed again, with no response. He felt his legs start to buckle beneath him but he did not care, he wasn't going to leave his friend behind. The wing started to collapse and Finn reacted. He pulled Cade from the wreckage and threw them back a couple of feet to safety. Sand soon engulfed the fighter and it was quickly absorbed into the desert.

" _POE_!"

The vessel imploded under the sand, sending an angry red fireball into the sky before drifting off. The two of them just stared at the crash site. Cade had no more tears to cry, he was completely and utterly wasted. He had lost two friends over the course of a day. And for what, he thought to himself. So his father could be brought out of hiding? He was so angry, he kicked a piece of nearby debris. He sat down in the sand, not knowing what to do.

Finn was completely drained as well, and overwhelmed. It was as if nothing had touched this place for thousands of years. And he was about to be the newest edition to the nothingness around him. He looked at Cade for something, anything that might get them out of this wasteland. But he just sat there. He walked over to Cade and offered him his hand, to help him up. But Cade did not react, staring off blankly into the distance. "Cade." Said Finn, trying to get attention. "We have to get out of here. We need to think of something, anything." Again, nothing. It was almost as if he was in another place and time entirely.

Finn had to think of something and fast. He didn't want to deal with an insane person stranded in the middle of a desert. He remembered something about the mission they were talking about earlier… "Cade, we need to complete the mission."

Cade then was able to finally snap out of it. He looked up at Finn. "The mission." He took his hand and stood up. "The mission. Yes. We need to find BB-8."

"Yes, BB-8," not remembering the name of the droid from before but going along with it anyway. "Do you know where he is?"

Cade looked disappointed in his reply. "No, Poe never told me where he sent him." Finn was disheartened. They had no idea where to start looking. But then Cade's facial expression changed almost as if a light went off in his head. "But I think I know where he might be."

Excitedly, Finn grabbed Cade's shoulders. "Really, where is he?"

Cade acknowledged Finn and began to pace, working through the information he had from before. "Before I was captured, we were in the village of Tuanal," He observed his surroundings, trying to remember from the briefing anything about the landscape of Jakku. He looked around, taking in the scenery for the first time. "We're in the Goazon Badlands. Poe would have sent him somewhere safe to hide. There's an old trade route that runs through here to Niima Outpost, the closest spaceport to Tuanal." He rubbed his hand through his reddish-brown hair. 'If I were Poe, I would have sent BB-8 there. It's the safest place for him."

"Do you really think he would be there? After all this time?" asked Finn skeptically.

"No," Cade admitted. But it's the only option we have right now. And who knows, maybe someone saw him there. We can ask around." He looked at Finn and realized he was still wearing his armor. "But we won't be getting answers if you're wearing that thing." He tossed him Poe's jacket. "Here, put this on. Makes you look more like a normal person instead of a mindless follower."

Finn took the jacket reluctantly. He took off the armor and used the jacket as shade as the two of them walked east toward the only hope they had.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter V

It seemed nearly impossible that the day could get any hotter. Both Finn and Cade were struggling under the pressure of the sun. And it seemed to only intensify as the day continued. They were both extremely thirsty and had been walking for what seemed like an eternity. They had no idea where they even were, much less knowing if they were headed in the right direction. They had tried to talk to one another, but decided against it to preserve what moisture they had left.

Cade squinted into a glare that was approaching, but saw nothing but sand. Sand in front of him, sand behind him, sand everywhere. Occasionally it was interrupted by a dune or salt flat. Of all the places Cade had been, he decided in this moment it was the absolute worst. Believing the glare to be simply a mirage, he ignored it. But Finn saw the same thing and tapped his arm, getting his attention.

A shape was coming towards them, getting closer and closer with each passing moment. It wasn't silent either. A rising, unsteady whine accompanied the rapidly expanding glare. It wasn't a glare, but a speeder of some kind! The two of them were ecstatic. They started jumping up and down, waving their arms, and yelling as loudly as their parched throats would permit.

"Hey! Over here!"

"Please, someone help!"

At this point, they didn't care who it was. As it approached, they realized it was an old battered tank from the war. The hull had been completely stripped off. The only thing that remained was the engines and a flat deck to transport people and goods. It was packed with an assortment of scoundrels of different species, filled to the brim with recovered salvage. They laughed as they sped past the two, making rude gestures and leaving only dust in their wake.

"Thank you!" yelled Finn sarcastically. "You are so gracious!"

Cade muttered curse words under his breath he had learned long ago to express his frustration, but knew they were on the right path. "At least we know we're headed in the right direction." He barely was able to speak, his words coming out weakly.

Finn looked over at him questioningly. "What do you mean?"

Cade pointed at the scavengers dust trail. "Did you notice their speeder? It was filled with trade goods. They're taking them somewhere to sell. We just have to follow them."

Finn nodded, wondering how much longer they would have to travel before finding any trace of civilization. The two of them continued their trek for many hours. When one of them collapsed, the other was there to help them up. They refused to rest. They wouldn't survive out here much longer if they did. When they thought all hope was lost, they came across a nearby cliff, showing their destination in the valley below: Niima Outpost. The two of them started jumping with joy, realizing they had made it. Adrenaline soon kicked in and the two of them started to make their way down to the valley floor.

* * *

The records Hux accessed were boring and mundane: standard-issue for a soldier in any army throughout history. It included personal history, medical records, and training exercises, anything a commanding officer would need to find out about the soldiers serving under them. When analyzing a psychological profile though, one looked for any anomaly, no matter how small. A personal message to a fellow trooper, a habit, even the posture of the individual: Any of these would suffice to point to an explanation for the trooper's inexplicable behavior. Hux wasn't expecting to find anything that would stand out. They would be subtle, hidden away from anyone who asked.

But so far, there was nothing to suggest that FN-2187 might one day go rogue. He seemed like an ordinary soldier. Which was troubling to Hux. If one soldier could do it, others might as well. They could not be allowed to know what happened. Psytechs were already hard at work, interviewing those he had interacted with. They could have no knowledge of what actually happened to him. They would say it was some accident. This was always the proper way to handle treason, of any degree.

"Nothing noteworthy," Phasma said. "FN-2187 had received some reconditioning after the mission, but did not show any signs of traitorous intent." Hux shook his head slowly, trying to figure out how this had happened. "He had no prior signs of insubordination, no prior signs of non-conformity. He was invisible in the ranks."

Just then, Kylo Ren moved to join them. He stalked forward as he usually did, like a jungle cat hunting its prey. "I have just spoken to FN-2187's sergeant. He and the other troopers claim he was being sent back to reconditioning for insubordination."

"Impossible," stated Captain Phasma. "I am to be notified about all reconditioning efforts in the division. There must be some mistake."

"Not impossible captain," Ren fired back. "But this is of no concern. Finding the flaw in your training methods won't help recover the droid." Although his mask concealed his face, his rage could be felt in the entire room.

"And yet, there are larger concerns," Hux insisted. It was evident from his tone and body language that he had no feelings for the enforcer. The feeling was mutual; neither took pains to hide their contempt.

"Not for me."

Hux was disgusted. _Typical Ren. Self-centered, arrogant, indifferent to the interests of others_ , he thought to himself. "The Supreme Leader made it explicit the Republic was not to obtain the map to Skywalker. Capture the droid if we can, destroy it if we must."

Ren paused for a moment to consider the general's words. "A simple enough task, or so it would seem. Find one droid. How capable are your soldiers, General?"

Hux turned away from the records and looked Ren in the mask. He respected his abilities, but was not fearful of him. He did not rise to the rank of general by showing fear, after all. "I won't have you questioning my methods."

"Remind me, what methods would those be, General? Those that allow a single trooper to free an important prisoner, escort him to a hangar, and steal a ship? What methods teach these expertise? Perhaps Leader Snoke should consider using a clone army."

Hux restrained himself with great difficulty. He did not want to bring up the fact they had evidence of an infiltrator aboard the ship. That would only bring up more concerns. Ren had a point, but Hux knew how to counter argue them. "My soldiers receive exceptional instruction. They are programmed from birth to be loyal to one another, to their officers, and to the Order. A single anomaly does not give you the right to question my methods which have been refined since the days of the Empire-"

Ren interrupted the general's impassioned defense. "Keeping the map out of the hands of the Republic shouldn't be a problem, then. Yes?"

"Again, this map. It is being taken care of Ren, you need not worry about such trivial matters."

Ren's voice darkened to a degree which caused Phasma to take a step backward. "Obviously, I must. Or else we would already have it in our possession."

Hux stood his ground. "My loyalty is to the First Order and Supreme Leader Snoke. I will send the appropriate personnel for a mission which might just be a wild bantha chase."

The two of them stared at one another for a few moments. If Kylo Ren was affronted by this, he did not show it. As if nothing had happened, Ren continued. "Have you narrowed the touch down area? Niima Outpost is the only settlement of note. If the droid was trying to hide, it would instinctively go there."

Glad the subject was about to be changed, Hux replied in a more diplomatic tone. "I concur. Reconnaissance from the crash site indicates two survivors. Their footsteps point in the direction of the outpost." He smiled thinly. "A strike team is already en route to intercept."

"Good. I am pleased to see that you are personally in charge of this. Retrieve the droid and the son of Skywalker. Unharmed."

Before Hux could object, Ren turned and departed the way he had come. If he felt the hate and anger from the senior officer, he chose to ignore it.

* * *

Jakku's sun had burnt the both of them, dehydrated them, and tormented them. But would not beat them. Not today. Their bodies begged to differ, as Cade and Finn were on the verge of collapse as they entered Niima Outpost. Old ship parts towered over them. Merchants and traders alike eyed them speculatively. Some pointed and joked. Others expressed quiet murmurings of sympathy. But no one helped them. Niima Outpost did not coddle the weak.

Finn then noticed something fat and ugly drinking from an open water trough. Practically punching Cade in the shoulder to get his attention, the two of them ran over and dunked their heads in. They cupped their hands and drew the dingy liquid to their mouths. It felt amazing to the both of them, but tasted awful going down. Finn spat, but continued to drink.

* * *

As Rey knelt beside BB-8, the excitable droid beeped madly at her.

"Easy, easy-you're going to drain your cells!" She patted the droid in a comforting way. "You're welcome for not selling you." More beeps followed. "Alright, you can stop thanking me. Just calm down and speak slowly." Frantic beeps followed which caused her to reply irritably. "That's not sufficient information, Beebee-Ate. I can't help me if you don't tell me who it is you're waiting for."

The droid paused. Was it thinking? She wondered. Or was it finally running low on power. When it did speak, her exasperation was palpable.

"Can you trust me? What do you think?" She started to rise, frustrated and angry. "Tell me or don't. I don't have times for games."

The droid moved closer, bumping her gently. She made a brief show of ignoring its entreaties before bending once more. "Yes, yes, I understand. You're waiting for someone. Who? Say again?" The droid repeated itself. "Poe Dameron and Cade Skywalker." She shrugged indifferently. "The first name I've never heard of. I've heard of a Skywalker before, but it's some old legend about a warrior." BB-8 let loose an excited series of beeps. "But the First Order? I know them, apparently they just destroyed a village on the other side of the badlands."

BB-8's next series of beeps caused the mask of indifference to fall from her face. She stared at the droid in disbelief.

" _You were there_?"

She would have asked more questions had she not noticed four figures approaching. She identified them as Plutt's thugs immediately. One of them had a knife while the other had a small club. They halted in front of her and the droid.

"Plutt wants droid. We take. Female don't interfere." Was all the one was able to mutter in Basic.

"The droid is mine," she shot back. "I didn't sell him."

"You right," agreed the one thug. "But we take anyway." His one companion started pulling a sack over BB-8 and the other grabbed Rey's arm.

* * *

Finn and Cade were indulging themselves in the water when Cade felt a small disturbance in the Force. He bolted upright and quickly observed his surroundings. He had not felt this in a while, as he had closed himself off to the Force. What he noticed was unfortunate. Some local was being attacked by thugs. Cade was immediately torn between intervening and keeping his head down. They were here for a reason and needed to find BB-8. But it went against everything he believed in to not help.

He grabbed Finn from the trough and the two of them stood up. He pointed in the direction of the scuffle and nodded that they should help the local out. Finn groaned, but obliged. The two of them rushed over and joined the confrontation. Cade grabbed the one henchman and flung him across the stalls while Finn began dodging knife attacks from the other. Meanwhile, the local was using her staff to fend off two attackers at once.

Despite the difference in size, the girl was able to hold her own against the thugs. With a twist and a flip, she was able to break free of the one brute and finished off the other with a kick to the head. By the time Cade and Finn were able to finish up with their attackers, they looked over at her and realized she would not need any further assistance. She was able to handle herself quite well.

Both of them were impressed. Finn took it upon himself to pull the half-closed sack off the property that was the source of the dispute. From a distance he had been unable to tell what it was. But now that he was up close, he could tell it was a droid of some kind. He pulled off the sack and saw a white and orange droid. It immediately extended a telescopic arm and shocked him. He flew back from the assault, collapsing at the feet of Cade.

"BB-8?" he exclaimed. The small droid looked up at this other newcomer and immediately went to this side, almost knocking him over in the process. Cade rubbed his hands all over the little droid and BB-8 made an electronic purring sound, almost like an animal who hadn't seen its owner in long time. "It's good to see you too buddy!"

BB-8 glanced over at Finn again, sizing him up and down. He was wearing an all too familiar jacket and BB-8 let loose a series of questioning beeps. Finn noticed immediate sadness wash over Cade's face. "What did he ask?" said Finn, unable to decipher the language of the droid.

"He asked if Poe is here," said Rey, walking over to the newcomers who had helped save her and inserting herself into the conversation.

Cade kneeled beside BB-8, clearly not certain how to make the droid understand. "He didn't make it BB-8. We were able to make it off the ship, but he didn't survive the crash." He paused, looking the droid in the eye socket. "I'm sorry."

Although droids are not programmed to feel sadness or emotion of any kind, this one did. It was what happened when you didn't perform a memory wipe on the droid every so often. They started to develop traits that would make them on par with humans. Cade could clearly tell BB-8 was depressed and he rolled off between two stalls to be alone.

Rey saw this as her opportunity to confront the two men, to determine their true motives. "Who are you?" she asked the bloodied man. He was wearing a blue and grey jacket. The sunburn had brought out the freckles covering his cheeks, but the bruises were not a sight to behold.

Cade and Finn exchanged a glance, with Finn motioning for the spy to explain. "I'm Cade and this is Finn," he gestured to the man still sitting on the ground. "The droid belonged to my friend. We were sent out here to do a job, but were intercepted by the First Order." He tried to keep it as vague as possible, as he did not know this girl's true motives either.

Obvious disgust rolled across her face. "Ugh, the First Order. Those murderers just destroyed an entire village on the other side of the badlands." Cade was relieved. She had taken care of BB-8 and did not sympathize with the First Order. She might even be able to help them get off this planet. But her next words startled him.

"You're Cade Skywalker, aren't you?" Her face became confused for a moment, clearly trying to put two and two together.

" _Shh_!" Cade exclaimed. Their conversation was starting to draw the attention of some of the locals in the market. "Keep your voice down. I'd rather not have a pot-shot taken at me right now." He looked around. "Is there somewhere that we can finish this conversation? In private?"

Realization crossed Rey's face. "Of course, follow me." Cade helped Finn to his feet and told BB-8 to follow them. The four of them made their way into a tent that was not occupied by a merchant. His wares were still there, fruit grown off a moisture evaporator. Both Cade and Finn were extremely hungry. Finn reached to grab one, but Cade smacked his hand and the fruit dropped to the floor. He picked it up and returned it to its crate.

"We aren't here to steal from these people." Finn gave Cade a disgusted look, but did not argue and went to stand watch at the flap. Cade turned his attention to Rey. "How did you know who I was?" he asked, almost accusingly.

She responded in kind. "Don't look at me, your little droid told me who you were when he had lost all hope of you showing up."

Cade glared at BB-8 and he responded with a single beep which, roughly translated, asked Cade what else he was supposed to do. And Cade didn't blame him. He had found someone he trusted and tried to complete the mission. BB-8 didn't trust many people, so it made Cade feel slightly better about this local girl.

"Sorry for the accusation. If you know who I am, then you must know we're with the Republic." He motioned over to Finn who gave him the all clear signal. They weren't being overheard by anyone. "It's extremely important that we get this droid back to the Republic immediately."

"And why is that?" she asked, clearly knowing something more than she was letting off.

Cade sighed. He gauged her presence in the Force and felt something different about her. She was guarded, but could tell there was warmth and kindness within her too. He had no other choice than to fully trust her. "He's carrying the map to my father," he paused, knowing full well her true intentions would be shown after telling her this part. "Luke Skywalker."

Finn decided he would lend his own voice to the conversation. "Yeah, and everyone's insane to get their hands on it."

Her face lit up with recognition, but still clearly confused. "I thought he was just a myth."

Cade was surprised by this. Practically everywhere he went as a child, they were met with crowds of people praising his father for his heroism during the war. It got old after a while, but Cade basically became a celebrity after his birth. When he had joined the intelligence branch, he took many measures to hide his true identity, such as growing a beard and dying his hair. He knew it wouldn't help against facial recognition, but he wouldn't be around long enough for the enemy to figure out who he was. His true features were beginning to show since he had no time to take care of them during their mission.

"Trust me, he's no myth." He knew Jakku was a backwater world, but still….

Before he was allowed to continue, Finn got their attention. They stepped over to the open flap to see a local from the market talking with two figures. The sun gleamed off their white armor. Stormtroopers. The local was pointing in the direction of the tent and the troopers started marching off in their direction

"Not good," said a now nervous Cade. He closed the flap and looked back at Rey. "We need to run and get off this planet. Do you know any pilots sympathetic to the Republic?"

She considered this for a moment. "Out this far? Unlikely." She paused a moment longer, but it was time they did not have.

"What is it?" asked an impatient Cade. They didn't have all day. "Do you know of a pilot?"

"Yes," she said. "I can fly."

Finn looked at Cade, giving him a look of disbelief that they were experiencing the worst luck today. Cade agreed, but they were all out of options.

"It'll have to work. Show us the way pilot…" he trailed off, not knowing her name yet.

"Rey," she said, offering a thin smile. "Follow me."

The four of them emerged from the tent with Stormtroopers hot on their heels.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter VI

They started to run backward into the maze of tents and temporary structures that formed the marketplace. A pair of blaster explosions obliterated the spot where they had just been standing. A third struck a nearby cleaning unit, which immediately began spewing smoke and corrosive fumes. They darted in and out among flimsy structures, dodging outraged owners and piles of goods alike.

"We gotta move faster!" shouted Finn from behind. He was carrying up the rear while Cade and BB-8 were following Rey. "I know how we…" He caught his words, had to remind himself that he was no longer one of them. "I'm familiar with Stormtrooper procedure. Those guys would rather identify us from smoking bits. Saves them the trouble of asking questions."

"I'm not disputing that!" Rey yelled. She skidded to a stop, almost causing Finn to collide into Cade. "C'mon, it's _this_ way!"

Another blast from behind just barely missed them. There was now a general panic across the marketplace. Those who weren't scattering did their best to protect their stock. Their efforts only temporarily slowed the troopers.

Rey and her companions hunkered down inside a larger tent crammed with machine parts, crates of salvage, and other mechanical instruments in an attempt to lose their pursuers.

Finn looked over at Rey. "They saw you with us. You're marked."

She gave him a rough look and tightened her lips. "Thanks for that."

Cade, wanting to escape as quickly as possible, decided to ask the obvious. "How far away are we from finding a ship?"

Rey glanced over at him. "Not far from here at all…" Finn looked up at the sky and BB-8 extended his antennae. It was fully extended and inclined slightly eastward. Rey frowned at them. "Is everything alright?"

While Finn was not as capable of picking up sound as BB-8, they both were listening to something that escaped the girl. She was puzzled and shifted her attention between them as Cade was shushed by the former Stormtrooper. Behind Cade, BB-8 was growing increasingly agitated. Without a word, the droid bolted out of the tent. Finn responded almost as quickly, grabbing both Cade and Rey. He shoved them outside the tent and an explosion ripped through the area. The three of them dove as the contents of the tent went flying in every direction. Cade looked up and immediately saw what the two were listening for: three TIE fighters.

The concussion threw the trio hard to the ground. Rey and Cade spat up dirt and were slow to rise. Rey realized she was truly out of her depth if the First Order was willing to go to these lengths in order to stop Cade. They rushed over to an unconscious Finn. Getting a grip on his jacket, the two of them rolled him over. BB-8 joined them a moment later. They were just about to check his pulse when he came too, coughing and blinking at his surroundings.

"You two alright?" he asked.

Taken aback by this, Rey responded. "I think so." She looked at her surroundings and stood up. "Follow me."

Cade extended his hand and Finn gratefully accepted his offer. The four of them ran through what remained of the outpost. Explosions had rippled everywhere, with tents and buildings being torn apart. Every bystander panicked for cover. With her staff now strapped to her back, Rey led her companions onto the sand scoured clearing that served as the town's port. Looking back, Finn saw the TIEs bank and turn around. He had no doubt what they were looking for.

"We need to find a ship and fast!" He yelled over the scream of the incoming fighters.

Rey pointed to the four engine craft toward which they were running. "We're getting in that quadjumper!"

"Whatever gets us out of here the fastest!" yelled Cade.

Just then, the TIE fighters roared past them. They all ducked simultaneously, but the fighters ignored them. Instead, they began firing at the ship in front of them. It burst into a ball of flame, flinging bits and pieces of itself in all directions as the detonation scorched the landing area. They instinctively threw their hands up to shield their faces from the heat.

They had no other ship in sight. They began looking around for anything that help might them escape. And that's when Cade saw it. It was covered in protective sand tarps, but he recognized it immediately. He started laughing and got the others attention. He pointed to the ship he had just discovered.

"Come on! This way!" He and BB-8 started running for the lowered ramp while Finn and Rey followed behind.

"This ship is garbage!" exclaimed Rey. "It's been sitting here for ages!"

Cade glanced back at her over his shoulder. "This one?" He started laughing again, which Finn and Rey found to be slightly disturbing. "It's the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy!"

Cade hit the wall and entered in a code. Rey had no idea how he knew what the passcode was. Right beside the padlock was a symbol she had never really noticed before. It accepted his code on the first try. He let loose an excited yell. As the four of them climbed the ramp, Cade immediately started heading for the center of the ship. He pointed towards the right and looked at Rey. "Cockpit is that way. Get us out of here!" He looked over at Finn. "Come on buddy, you and I are headed to gunner's position!"

Rey ran into the cockpit and started the warmup, grabbing the nearby headset to communicate with the others. BB-8 followed behind her. Finn and Cade climbed into the gunner's positions on the top and bottom of the ship. Finn buckled himself in. To his shock, it responded to him immediately.

"Whoa, easy!" he said to himself. He heard something in the headset.

"Finn, can you hear me?" asked an excited Cade.

'Yeah, I can hear you. This thing is hard to control!"

"Believe me, I know! Shift your weight in the seat and it'll respond. Rey, have you started the primers yet?" asked Cade over the intercom.

"I know how to pilot a ship! How do you know so much about this one?"

Cade laughed again. "This ship was stolen from my family a while ago. I practically grew up in this thing. C'mon get us out of here!"

Rey obliged and started punching the controls. "I can do this, I can do this." She muttered to herself.

At the stern of the old ship, long quiescent engines flared to brilliant life. Fully powered up now, it soared into the bright blue sky of Jakku-but not efficiently. Shedding the loose tarp as it rose, it spun and careened wildly, almost crashing back into the ground. Wrestling with the unfamiliar controls, Rey managed to level off just in time to crash into and through the town's entry archway: Niima Outpost's only architectural pride.

"Hey! Are you up there trying to kill us!" asked Cade and Finn simultaneously.

Below, the puffy-face figure of Unkar Plutt emerged from the chaos to scream at the sky. " _Hey! That's my shiiiiip!_ "

Rey quickly discovered that the ship was quick to respond to manual control. She spun the ship around and accelerated away from the port. The trio of TIEs chasing them immediately started to pursue the craft. She headed skyward and was relieved to find the ship's power level increasing.

"Stay low!" Cade ordered. "It's our only chance to take them out! Then we jump to lightspeed."

"Assuming this old tub can still do lightspeed," Said an anxious Finn as he still tried to figure out the controls. "Put up the shields will you? I don't wanna get cooked down here!"

"Shield controls are on the other side of the console," she shot back at them. "Not so easy without a copilot!"

Realizing it was impossible to reach the necessary instruments while seated as the pilot, she let go of the controls for just a second. She would have to do this manually. She did not want her pursuers to lock on with the use of autopilot. They would be knocked out of the sky without effort. There was just enough wild wobble in their flight path to confuse their pursuers. She leaned right with the controls. Her stretching however, had caused the ship to cant sharply to activate the shield instrumentation.

"Beebee-Ate, hold on!"

Her warning came too late. Beeping madly, he rolled ceiling-ward as the ship spun. Her fingers straining, she just managed to reach the shield controls and flicked them to life. Relieved, she straightened in the pilot's seat and resumed control, stabilizing the vessel. "I'm going low!" she shouted, mindful of Cade's advice.

Driving the ship surface ward, she pulled up at the last possible moment and sent them screaming towards the ground, clipping the crests of the dunes below. Trying to match the awkward maneuvers, the TIE fighters shot past, unable to slow in time. They did however each manage to get off bursts from their weaponry, striking the fleeing ship. Had the shields not been brought up, they were as good as dead.

"The ship's tougher than she looks!" she yelled into the intercom.

"She's got it where it counts!" replied Cade, smiling as he was finally able to shoot at the TIEs. He hit one but it continued on in the pursuit. "Come on buddy!" he said to Finn over the intercom. "You gotta shoot back or else we'll never get away from them!"

"Working on it!" Finn called back to him. He spun wildly, missing all his shots. The targeting system was more primitive and clumsier than anything he had trained on or studied in his entire life. Another detonation rocked the ship. Finn tightened his mouth and continued firing. The pursuing fighters offered them no mercy, almost disdainful of their quarry's efforts. "We need cover!" he yelled as he kept firing. "Quick!"

"We're about to get some!" exclaimed an anxious Rey.

While she did not know much about maneuvering and fighting in free space, Rey had plenty of experience defending herself on the desperate surface of Jakku. She was familiar with nearly every dune, canyon, crater, and escarpment within fifty miles of Niima Outpost. She kept them as close to the ground as possible, rising and darting over ridges so closely so he almost took chunks out of them. The fighters continued their tight pursuit.

 _Just a little farther_ , she told herself as she clung tightly to the controls. _Hold them off just a little longer_. She was heading towards her favorite scavenging spot: the massive ship graveyard. She banked hard, low enough to cut a crease in the sand.

Finn was firing blindly at the TIEs. His attempts to control the gunner's seat were not successful. Just when he thought he would never figure it out, he slid to the right and the gun followed. He lined up the crosshairs on the one fighter and unleased a volley. Part of the craft crumpled instantly, while the rest of the fighter went off spinning.

" _Whoooooo_!" Finn allowed himself a triumphant shout without letting go of the controls.

"Nice shot!" Rey replied. Her praise pushed him onwards.

"We still got two of em' on our tail!" said Cade, slightly irritated he had not knocked any of them out of the fight yet.

Rey soon sent them snaking into the enormous field of derelict spacecraft. The one fighter could not handle the tight maneuvers and clipped their wing on a piece of protruding metal. It spun wildly and crashed. Trailed by the surviving fighter, the ship slalomed through the debris field. Sparks flew as it grazed nearby metal walls and fallen station sections. But the ship held together. Finn and Cade did their best to keep track of their remaining pursuer.

The next blast that rocked their ship came too close for comfort. The concussion sent the top turret spinning. Finn soon realized that the gun was jammed facing forward. There was nothing else he could do. "Guns are stuck!" he yelled. "I can't move! You're gonna have to lose our pursuit!"

Another blast soon rocked their ship. Eventually their shields would be overwhelmed. She had to think of something and fast. Cade was in the belly turret and could still move. She had an idea. Ahead lay the bulk of a downed Super Star Destroyer. Pulling on the controls, she drove the ship downward and into the gaping breach that used to be an engine thruster. She had hoped this maneuver might dissuade her pursuer. She was wrong. The pilot took his craft in after her.

Finn and Cade were stunned by this. They couldn't believe they were trying to fly _inside_ a Super Star Destroyer.

" _Are we really doing this_?"

Sparks continued to fly from the one side of the ship as Rey negotiated her way through one narrow passage after another. Even a former crewmember would not have been as familiar with the corridors she chose. She herself knew them intimately, as she inspected each of them hundreds of times either on foot or with climbing gear.

"Get ready!" she yelled to Cade.

He nodded energetically. "Okay!" He frowned. "Ready for what?"

She would have to time this maneuver just right. If Cade wasn't ready, it wouldn't matter much anyway. They would be shot down and left to join the rest of the scrap here on this planet. They had been relying on her skills before, now they would have to rely on Cade's.

Uninterrupted light appeared at the end of the service corridor down which was flying. Another blast the from the unrelenting TIE fighter pilot nearly sent their craft crashing into the corridor's ceiling, and she only managed to correct at the last instant. There was no time to check readouts to see if the ship had been damaged. All that mattered was they were still flying and the controls continued to respond as normal.

Then they were out, flying in bright sunlight once again. The instant the ship emerged from the decaying carcass of the old Super Start Destroyer, she cut the power and swung the ship completely around.

At that moment, Cade knew exactly what she was doing. He calmed himself with the Force and imagined the TIE fighter directly in front of him. When the ship turned back toward the gigantic relic rotting in the sand, he fired. The TIE exploded in a red fireball, it was a direct hit.

Rey turned the ship hard away from the hulk of the Super Star Destroyer. Working the controls rapidly inside the cockpit, she sent their ship accelerating into the clouds. They soon fell away and they were greeted with the cold yet comforting blackness of space.

Confident that they were not being followed, she turned on the ship's autopilot. She slipped out of her harness and hurried outside the cockpit. In doing so, she passed BB-8, who was just now able to stabilize himself from the previous acrobatics.

"You okay?" she asked him as she passed. Several short beeps told her he was, while also telling her that she needed to get better at this flying business.

She found Cade and Finn in the longue, trying to get their breath under control while coming down from an adrenaline high. They turned to her as she slowed, with both of them giving her a wide grin.

"That was some piloting!" yelled Finn, still excited from their escape.

"Thanks." Was all she could manage to say. She shrugged, not really sure how to react to these two. They were heroes of the Republic, while she was just a lowly scavenger from a backwater world.

"Hell of a job, couldn't have done it without you." Said Cade, trying to disarm the tension they had felt between each other earlier. "Where did you learn to fly like that?"

"Oh that was nothing really. I've been flying junk like this since I could walk." She wanted to swerve the conversation away from herself. "Speaking of which, that was some shooting you two! I was worried you wouldn't have time to react."

"Oh don't worry, I had plenty of time." Cade said smiling. It was silent for a moment in the longue before Rey asked a question that had been in the back of her mind since the escape.

"How did you know this was your family's ship?

"Yeah, I was wondering the same thing." Replied an inquiring Finn.

Cade smiled, almost as if he was embarrassed. "Yeah, sorry for the excitement on my part. There were markings outside the ramp, naming the ship. It was a little hard to notice them. My uncle pained them on ages ago."

Thinking back, she didn't recall what the markings were. "What's the name of the ship?"

"The _Millennium Falcon_." Cade looked around, noticing the ship for the first time in a while. "She's still the same, even with a few minor changes."

"There's no way!" said a surprised Rey. "I would have known there was a famous ship parked in that dusty lot!" Before anymore could be said, BB-8 rolled up beside Rey and started spurting out insistent beeps. "Hey, calm down! We're all okay. For the moment, at least."

Cade gave her an approving look. "You're right in that aspect. We need to make for Republic space as soon as possible. We can drop you off, unless you want to come with us." He looked at Rey, getting a nod from Finn as he agreed with the plan. While it wasn't something he really wanted to face as a former member of the First Order, he knew it would be the safest place for him.

But Rey wasn't so sure about this. She only helped them because of circumstance. "I'm going back to Jakku." She said as she headed for the cockpit.

"Are you crazy?" blurted out a stunned Cade. "The First Order is crawling all over that place! There's nothing back there for us."

She spun on him. "My life is back there you know."

"What life?" he asked, not really wanting to argue. "From the looks of the place, everyone is just a filthy scavenger trying to survive! There's no law out there. It's a hive of scum and people who don't want to be found. Don't you want to get away from that?"

She looked him dead in the eyes for a moment, realizing for the first time they were about the same height. He was right, somewhat. The place was filled with cutthroats and thieves, but she was able to survive. Besides, she was waiting for her family and wanted to be there when they eventually showed up. And no one talked to her like that. Anger flaring, she tried to remain in control. "We're going back to Jakku." She said sternly. "I have family there. They could be in danger." This was a lie of course, but he did not know that.

"Oh really?" he said accusingly. "How come you didn't mention them before?" He studied her again and could feel in the Force that she wasn't being entirely truthful. She was hiding something, but he couldn't quite place it. They were about to start arguing again when Finn intervened.

'Why doesn't everyone just take a breather?" He stepped in between the two to show he was sympathetic to both. "I'm sure we can come to some type of compromise here."

Cade gave Rey an irritated look. "The First Order won't compromise. The more time we waste is more time they could possibly catch us. And we can't outrun them in this thing for long."

"Okay that's a good point." Responded Finn, realizing the merits his argument had.

"The same goes for my family on the surface. They could be in danger from the First Order or already dead, who knows."

Finn looked at Rey, agreeing with her as well. "That's also a valid point. Why don't we discuss this more-" was all he was able to get out before the two of them started arguing again. Soon it became hard for him to keep track of the conversation and BB-8's incessant beeping didn't help matters.

They were ultimately interrupted when a section of the decking broke loss and shot upward. It landed hard back on the deck. Hissing vapor started to fill the room, threatening to overwhelm the atmosphere scrubbers attempting to cleanse it.

Rey and Cade didn't hesitate for a moment. Ignoring the emission spewing from beneath the deck, she raced over to the ragged edge of the opening and climbed in. Cade did not try to stop her, as her smaller figure allowed her to squeeze in tighter spaces than his.

"What do you think it is?" shouted Cade over the rising steam. "I worked on this thing years ago and don't really remember much. I'm much better with droids."

"I don't know. I just hope it's not the motivator. Ship of this age is bound to have one."

"I'll go find us some tools." Cade immediately raced off to go find them something to fix the ship with.

Finn and Rey exchanged a glance. "While I'm down there, listen out for anything strange. If you hear a lot of screaming and cursing, stand by."

He considered this for a moment. "You'll want me to pull you up?"

She managed a smile, already focused on the task at hand. "Only if there's just screaming and no cursing." With that she slipped under the vapor and tried to find the root of the problem.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter VII

The great sweep of the external observation portal on the Star Destroyer _Finalizer_ allowed anyone standing before it an uninterrupted view of the vastness of space. Suns and nebulae, mysteries and conundrums alike, were all laid out before the viewer to behold. It was intended to amaze and inspire. Kylo Ren regarded it in silence. He had been trained to contemplate everything and was skilled in deliberation. He could meditate for hours if need be.

But he was losing patience.

Approaching from behind, Lieutenant Mitaka could only see a tall, caped figure silhouetted against the array of stars. He was not looking forward to giving the report. It was his responsibility and he had no choice. It was not the first time he had to deliver bad news to a superior officer. But Kylo Ren was different. He was something else entirely. He would have rather been anywhere else in the galaxy than having to stand within feet of him.

The caped figure did not turn. He did not have to. Mitaka knew Ren was aware of his arrival as if he had watched him approach. He was tracking him with something other than his eyes.

"Something to report, Lieutenant?" He was cold, detached. Without emotion.

Mitaka froze, not sure if he would ever have the courage to come forward with his news. Ren spoke again before he had a chance. A gloved hand rose to take in the sweep of light displayed before them. "Look at it, Lieutenant. So much beauty among so much turmoil. In a way, we are but an infinitely smaller reflection of the same conflict. Is it the duty of the First Order to remove disorder from our own existence, so that we may return civilization to a grateful galaxy. The Empire was weak, the Republic now weaker. The rule of law will be brought back by a strong hand."

Mitaka did not want to argue politics with Ren. That same Republic they were fighting in the shadows was the same who had deposed of their predecessor. Finally finding the courage to give his report, he stood at attention, awating the worst.

"Sir. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to acquire the Beebee-Ate droid on Jakku."

Now Ren did turn. Mitaka realized he would have preferred for him to remain turned. Fear raced through him as it seemed like the masked man stared into his very soul.

"It was destroyed? Do not tell me, Lieutenant, that the droid was destroyed.

Mitaka swallowed hard. "No, sir. At least, not as far as we are able to determine. Reports from the ground indicate-"

He was interrupted. "No aerial survey reports?"

"Three TIE fighters accompanied the recovery party. Contact has been lost and it is assumed…" He paused, considering his next words carefully. "It is assumed they encountered unforeseen difficulties."

Ren sneered quietly. "You equivocate like a senator. Go on."

"Reports from our troopers on the ground indicate that the droid escaped capture by taking flight aboard a stolen Corellian freighter, a YT model. An older craft."

Atypically, a touch of uncertainty colored Ren's response. "The droid stole a freighter?"

"Not exactly, sir. Again, according to preliminary reports, it had help." Mitaka was beginning to sweat. "We have confirmation that trooper FN-2187 may have been-  
He was broken off as Ren reached for his lightsaber, activaited the weapon, and raised the intense crimson bland high. Expecting a swift execution, Mitaka closed his eyes. After a moment, he realized he was still alive and dared open an eye. Ren was slashing at the console nearby, at the walls, at the deck, ripping and shredding it to pieces. His rage was terrible to behold. Mitaka aimed to remain perfectly still, to control his breathing, to become an invisible figure. Ren ultimately spared him, whether this was by chance or design, Mitaka did not know.

Shutting off the lightsaber, the taller man once again turned to the bearer of bad news. He spoke calmly, as if his mad and destructive rampage had never even happened.

"Anything else?"

The worst of the report had not even been delivered yet. He did not allow himself to relax.

"The pair were accompanied by Skywalker and a local. A girl."

Reaching out, a black-gloved hand clutched the startled lieutenant and pulled him violently forward. That metallic visage was now close, closer than Mitaka had ever been to it. As the officer struggled to breath in that remorseless grasp, Kylo Ren tightened his grip. Before the lieutenant lost all consciousness, Ren threw him against the bulkhead and stalked off, presumably back to his chambers. The lieutenant would never give bad news again to that man. He made a promise to himself of that.

Kneeling by the opening in the deck, Finn struggled to peer down into the depths. The constant hiss of escaping vapor made it difficult to hear or see anything. He badly wanted to shut off the blaring emergency alarm but didn't dare move away while Rey was still below and out of sight. He didn't trust the droid to do it, no matter how sophisticated it was. And he did not want to disappoint Cade, as there was nothing from stopping the spy from tossing him out of an airlock once he wore off his welcome.

Just then, Cade came running back with a box of tools. A head soon popped up, surrounded by vapor. Perspiration streamed from Rey's face. "It's the motivator. Grab me a Harris wrench!" Cade peeked in the toolbox, handing her the wrench she needed.

"How bad is it?" he asked her as she began to make her way into the vapors once more.

"If we wanna live," Rey's voice echoed from below, "not good!"

Finn looked over at Cade and gave him a concerned look. "That doesn't sound promising."

He returned the look. "I agree. The faster we get out of the system, the better."

As if she had super-sonic hearing, Rey popped her head back up. "We need to go back to Jakku."

Finn and Cade groaned. Not wanting to continue the argument again but wanting to have this resolved, Cade stayed firm in his stance. "We won't last an hour if we go back there. We need to get to the Ileemium system and fast!"

"The Ileenium system?" she asked as if she had heard the name before, which she hadn't. It was a Republic base in the Outer Rim for any operations that far out in space. "Quick, hand me that Pilex driver, hurry!"

Cade obliged her, but continued the argument. "There's nothing back for you there Rey. You can handle yourself well, you should fight with us." He paused as she came back up to get another tool. "We could use someone like you."

Rey continued with her work, but was obviously frustrated. "You think I would work with you? I have a family, a life back on Jakku. You think I would give that up for a cause?"

"I think you would be great at it."

Finn agreed with Cade, giving Rey a nod. "I also think you would be great at it."

Cade gave Finn a look and he went back to sorting tools for Rey. "It's none of your business, so the answer is _no_." She grabbed another tool and dove into the depths of the _Falcon,_ not really wanting to continue the conversation.

She did her best to patch up the motivator, but they would need serious technicians to fully repair the ship. As the two of them helped her up, the sudden dimming of lights put a halt to the argument which was about to continue. They flickered but did not go out. The four occupants of the lounge regarded their newly altered environment. BB-8 beeped nervously.

"That can't be good," Finn muttered

"No, it can't be," Rey agreed as she made her way towards the cockpit. Cade and Finn followed closely behind.

Finn took a seat at the copilot's station with Cade standing close behind. Rey looked at the instrumentation and realized it was completely dead.

"It's the motivator isn't it? That's the component you were so worried about." When she didn't reply, Finn's heart rate increased. "It's worse than the motivator?"

Intently studying the console in front of her, Rey replied without looking up from the instruments. "I fixed that; this is something else." Without much hope, she tried several controls before sitting back, defeated. It was Cade who spoke up from a rear seat.

"Someone is locked onto us."

Rey and Finn looked at him puzzlingly. "How do you know?"

"Tractor beams have a tendency to shut off all controls, no matter the size of the ship."

"Who's taken control of us?" Tapping the scanner to remind him that it was useless, Rey shrugged but Cade had an answer.

"Pirates, Hutts, First Order. Could be any number of factions."

"It's the First Order. They've got us." Finn looked utterly defeated. "It's all over."

He knew they weren't going to the Illenium system now. Their fates would be decided on board that ship that was presently pulling them in. Decided and expeditiously carried out. The First Order was nothing if not efficient. They had been so close. He had made an actual decision for once, had rescued a spy, crash-landed on a desert planet and escaped once already. And it would all end here in the cold darkness of space.

"What do we do?" Rey was saying beside him. She kept trying the controls, but to no avail. "There must be something."

He could not look in her direction, sorry for her having to get involved in this. "We can die."

Cade looked at the both of them, refusing to accept their fate. "I sure ain't going down without a fight. I've got a plan." He walked out of the cockpit back towards the lounge. The two of them followed him. He pulled open the panel Rey had just been working on and studied it intensely.

"The poisonous gases from earlier. Can you unfix it?"

Surprised, the both of them looked at him with hesitation. "I can unfix it, yes. Why?"

He started looking around to find breath masks hanging off the wall. He tossed each of them one. "If you can unfix them, we can gas whoever is about to enter the ship. Once they're knocked out, we sneak aboard their ship, disable the tractor beam, then make all haste for safe port." He grinned at both of them sheepishly.

"That plan is suicide. There's no way it'll work." Said Finn, not wanting to have hope again but realzing it might be their only option.

"You have any better ideas?"

When the two of them realized they didn't, they went about fulfilling the spy's plan. They put on the emergency masks designed to protect against a loss of atmosphere, making sure they were secure. They first lowered BB-8 into the space, followed by Finn and Cade. They closed the section up over their heads. Rey went about trying to undo the results of her earlier repair.

"This'll work on Stormtroopers, right?" she wondered as she manipulated the tools she had used earlier and left behind.

"Standard issue helmets are designed to filter out smoke, not toxins. It's the last thing a squad meant to take a crew into custody would expect." Finn looked at Cade for a moment. "Hopefully this plan of yours works."

"If it doesn't, you can have the top bunk in our cell," said Cade sarcastically.

"We'll be lucky to be tossed out an airlock."

Rey looked at both of them as the lights came back to full strength. "Will you both shut up!" she whispered. "They're boarding!"

"Well, hurry it up!" Finn whispered back.

"I am hurrying!" Her fingers worked nimbly at the seal she had applied.

Above them, the boarding crew opened the hatch and made their way onto the deck. The group below held their breath as the boarders walked around the deck, clanking as their boots hit. But there was only one pair of boots. And the other sounded almost like a giant had stepped onto the ship.

The access hatch was tight for the three of them to fit, with Cade being on the bottom of the pile. He stared at BB-8 as Finn boosted up Rey in her attempted sabotage. She was working on removing the seal when suddenly, the tool slipped from her hand and clanked against the deck. The boarding party immediately stopped walking around on the deck. Cade knew they would be caught now.

Suddenly the hatch opened to reveal two figures who Cade could not see. Their voices were muffled and they were ordered out of the hatch. The three of them, along with BB-8, climbed out of the hatch. Cade stared at the figure holding the blaster at them. There was nothing to interfere with his face. It was one filled with aged experience. And it was one he had seen before. The figure behind the man made it easy for Cade to recognize. It was his uncle.

Cade stepped forward from behind Finn and Rey, removing his mask in the process. "Uncle Han? Chewie?"

The man holding the blaster squinted for a moment, then recognition washed over his face as he lowered his weapon. "Is that you kid?" He embraced his nephew and Chewie let loose a questioning growl. "I hardly recognized you with the beard. How did you find the _Falcon_?"

Cade smiled up at his uncle's face. "That's the point, I wanted to hide." He got a moment to look at his uncle for the first time in many years. He still had that same grin as always, looking like he was about to con someone out of a ship or valuable commodity. But his hair was grey and his eyes more hazel than before. The wrinkles on his scarred face indicated he had been up to no good since he last saw him. He was both delighted and worried. "It's a long story."

Chewie kept his bowcaster and eyes aimed directly at his two companions. "It's alright Chewie, they're with me." He walked in front of the massive Wookiee directly in his line of fire, hoping he remembered their friendship from his childhood. Still not believing it, the giant looked once again, then admitted a welcoming bark and shouldered his weapon. Han did the same with his blaster.

Chewie wrapped his arms around Cade, asking him a myriad of questions that came out too fast for him to answer. It didn't help matters that he was being suffocated by the Wookiee. Rey and Finn just stood there awkwardly before Cade remembered they were also witnessing his family reunion. "Oh, I almost forgot. These are my friends, Rey and Finn." He muttered from the depths of Chewbacca's hug. "They helped me escape from Niima Outpost."

Han nodded at Rey and Finn, still eyeing them up ever so cautiously, but still managing to lower his jaw in disbelief. " _Jakku_? That junkyard?"

" _Thank you_!" Finn said, looking over at Rey. "Junkyard!" His look was a pure I-told-you-so one.

Cade finally emerged out of the bear hug and addressed his uncle once more. "Yeah, we wouldn't have gotten out of it if it wasn't for Rey here. She's one hell of a pilot."

Han gave her admonishing look. "Is that so? Well, you obviously were in a fight, the Falcon looks torn-to-shreds on its outer hull."

Before Rey could muster a reply back, he addressed his towering companion. "I told ya we should've double-checked the Western Reaches!" Chewie replied with a rumbled set of protests. "We were lucky we found you. The beacon popped on as soon as the ship powered up." Rey was still trying to make sense of how these two worked together, considering they were completely mismatched.

"Who had it?" he continued talking to the group. "Ducain?"

They had no reason to lie to the man. "We stole it from a salvage dealer named Unkar Plutt."

Han's brow narrowed as his face wrinkled even more. "From who?"

Cade and Finn looked to Rey, as she obviously had more information to give than they did at the moment. She spread her hands wide. "Look I have no idea, I'm not privy to Plutt's dealings. But word has it that Plutt stole this ship from the Irving Boys, who stole it from Ducain"

"Who stole it from _me_!" Han was clearly angered. Cade and Rey did not understand why. Han moved away, admiring his ship once more. He began mumbling about things that needed repaired. Cade gave Chewie a confused look, which he returned with one that was fully accepting of the situation.

Han began moving off to the cockpit and Chewbacca followed, leaving the three of them behind in the longue with the droid. They all exchanged a look.

"What now?" Finn gestured in the direction of the corridor that led to the cockpit. "He just left us here."

"I dunno." Cade said, shrugging even though he clearly was the one who was supposed to understand a member of his family.

"We could wait for one of them to come back," suggested Rey.

They all gave each other a look. Without another word, they broke for the cockpit.


	8. Chapter 8

The three of them were finally able to catch up to the unlikely pair just outside the cockpit. Finn and Rey were stunned to meet their captors-or rescuers, depending on the point of view. She had no idea Cade was even related to _The Han Solo_. He was a living legend. Although he looked worse for wear than what she was expecting, she was nonetheless surprised to be in the presence of such a legendary smuggler.

Han was checking over the controls as Chewie was inspecting the wiring under a panel which was obviously new to him.

Rey was the first one in the cockpit, followed closely behind by Cade and Finn. "If this is the _Millennium Falcon_ , then it made the Kessel Run in fourteen parsecs, correct?" she asked.

Almost as if he had been offended, he looked back at her in disgust. " _Twelve_ parsecs." The two of them continued working on the controls, rediscovering them, as Rey gave Cade a look.

He gave her a shrug. "He hates it when people say the ship is slower than it actually is."

Han and Chewie continued inspecting the controls when the old smuggler's hands stopped on an instrument that had not been there before. He investigated further only to discover…

What the devil was _that_?

Moving slightly to his right, he touched a couple of contacts and was rewarded with a readout that was not at all pleasing.

"Hey! Some moof-milker installed a compressor on the ignition line!"

"Unkar Plutt did." Rey saw Finn and Cade shoot her a look and she glanced away quickly, abashed. "I noticed it when I was poking around the other ships at the outpost."

"Why were you poking around ships?" Han asked.

Quickly realizing she had forgotten some critical information, she continued. "It was mostly at night. It was a way to learn about things. I was careful and nobody cared too much anyway, since I never took anything or tried anything." She smiled, but Han's face remained the same. He had an excellent poker face and could show any emotion he wanted to at any time.

"Huh," was all he could manage to say. Rey looked for an explanation and found one at the same time as Han did, each echoing the other.

"It's a mistake. It puts too much stress on the hyperdrive flow."

Han looked at her and then at his nephew. He was slightly curious as to who this girl was and how she knew so much about starships.

"I told you she was good." said Cade, looking back and forth between the two of them. Before he could say anything further, his uncle decided to find out what exactly was going on.

"So tell me, why are you out here?"

Cade gave him a complicated look, mainly because it was a complicated answer. He hesitated for a moment before Han asked him again. "Come on kid, I don't have all day."

Before he could respond, Rey spoke for him. "The droid has a map to the present location of Luke Skywalker."

A strange look came over the face of the _Falcon_ 's owner. In an instant, the hardness was drained from him and replaced with something else. Sadness? No, that wasn't it, Rey told herself. It was much more than sadness.

Finn decided he would join the conversation to assist his friends. "You knew him, didn't you?"

"Knew him?" The flinty stare had gone hazy and his voice soft. "Yeah, Luke and I were—"

He broke off as a distant but distinctly metallic _thunk_ reached them inside the _Falcon_. Snapping back to the present, Han was all business again as he scowled in the direction of the ship's loading ramp and started moving off in that direction.

"That didn't sound good." Everyone else followed him, with BB-8 bringing up the rear. None of them had the slightest idea what was going on. Cade had a feeling he knew, but didn't want to admit anything to alarm the rest of the group. They had been through enough in the past few hours.

It was surprisingly hard to keep up with the older man, thought Finn. He moved with surprising speed. Not unlike his ship, he realized.

"Wait, wait," he implored the older man, realizing what Cade was also beginning to realize.

Ignoring him, Han exited the Falcon onto one of the service decks of the enormous freighter. He headed directly for the nearest control panel. He was not pleased with what he saw.

A host of images revealed both the interior and exterior of the hulking freighter. One of the latter revealed the approaching of several nonmilitary transports. The sleek craft were beginning to dock and nudge their way along the hull, like a parasite hunting for an easy way onto a host. Han's face was not pleased.

Cade spoke up from the back of the group, jostling his way to stand beside his uncle and looking at the screen. "Who are they?"

"It's the Guavian Death Gang." He looked over at Chewie. "They must have tracked the _Falcon_ from Nantoon. It's how we found you." He glanced over at his nephew and his friends. "They knew as soon as it appeared on my scopes, I'd go after it. It was only a matter of time really. "

Cade looked around the ship, noticing it had seen better days. "You got any weapons on board?"

Han smiled intensely. "Knew I had an influence on you kid." He motioned them off to his left. "Armory is this way." Once again, Finn and Rey found themselves following their friend and his eccentric uncle.

They were now hurrying down a passageway that was covered in splashes of paint and old stains. Unidentifiable crates and piles of gear were everywhere in corners and against the walls. Rey asked the obvious, as she had never heard of their boarders before.

"Who are the Guavian Death Gang?"

Finn moved closer to Rey. "Ever heard of the Trillian Massacre?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "No."

"Good," he replied. That was the extent of his explanation, and the facial expression of Cade gave her all the information she needed.

"How much farther until we reach the armory?" asked Cade.

"Not far, down this passageway, then turn left…" he trailed off, trying to make sure he remembered where it actually was. "No! Make a right. I'm sure it's a right."

Cade was frustrated. "You're telling me you don't know your own ship?" He gave him a criticizing look. "That's not the uncle I know."

Han gave him a dirty look in response. "It's a little hard to know a ship you don't love kid."

Behind them, BB-8 beeped a question that the Wookie replied quickly too. The two of them began to have a conversation that Finn was soon lost in and the sound of it made his head hurt.

Suddenly, Han called a halt in the middle of the corridor. Before Cade was able to ask what was going on, Han activated a hidden wall control and a hatch opened in the floor. He gestured for the three of them to descend.

"Get below deck until I say so. And don't go wandering around: This ship is big enough to get lost in."

The three of them began to comply when Rey stopped and indicated at the waiting droid. "What about Beebee-Ate?"

"He'll stay with me. I don't want you trying anything funny."

Cade gave Han a sarcastic smile. "I took the _Falcon_ for a joyride _one_ time as a kid and you still haven't forgiven me?"

Han shot him one back. "In my eyes, you're still grounded." He immediately returned to the matter at hand. "When I get rid of them, we'll get out of here. But you _cannot_ be seen, understand?"

He gave his uncle a mock salute. "Aye aye, Captain. Good luck." And with that, the three of them descended below the deck.

Rey gave Cade a concerned look as the three of them crouched below. "What is he going to do?" she asked from the cramped space.

"Same thing he always does." He replied with a nervous look on his face. "Talk his way out of it."

She noticed his expression and commented on it. "You don't sound so sure."

He agreed, but what else could they do? "I'm not. But we aren't just going to sit here. These sub-decks have to lead to the armory." He began off in the direction they were originally headed. "I'm not just going to sit around if there's a fight. Come on."

The three of them made their way off to the armory. Rey ultimately disagreed, believing they should instead listen to their instructions. The man who had given them was Han Solo, after all.

Han's thoughts were working overtime as he and Chewie headed toward the cargo bay where the Guavian ship was most likely to have gained entrance. On a warship, or even the Falcon, the controls could have been activated to keep them out. But the lumbering freighter was none of those and unfortunately, had been equipped with instrumentation allowing unhampered access from the outside. It made sense from an operational standpoint for hauling freight, but failed when being boarded by pirates. Or much worse.

Not that the Guavian, if denied entrance, would have hesitated to blast their way in. At least this way the freighter wouldn't be damaged. As for that happening to him and Chewie, it remained to be seen.

 _No problem_ , he kept repeating to himself. _You've done this hundreds of times before. Just stay calm and collected and baffle them with space dust._

They never made it to the cargo bay. In fact, they didn't even have to look for the gang, because the gang found them. He and Chewie had hardly left the group behind when a circular portal opened in the corridor ahead to admit seven figures, all humanoid: six members of a helmeted, red-uniformed security team and one man in a suit. Han recognized Bala-Tik immediately. Confident, experienced, and, at the moment, all but bursting with barely controlled anger. Inclining his head slightly toward his companion, Han whispered confidently.

"I got this. Leave it to me."

Chewbacca coughed something not repeatable in polite Wookiee company, which Han returned with a look.

"Han Solo," came the clipped voice of the gang leader, "you are a dead man."

Not a very promising start, Han had to admit. Not that he expected anything less. The gang leader wasn't one to waste time on false pleasantries. Smiling broadly, he nodded back and yelled.

"Bala-Tik! Welcome aboard. Always good to see an old business associate. What's the problem?"

The visitor was not amused. "The problem is you were supposed to return this ship once you were done with the job. Instead, you run off with it, as well as the cargo we were promised. Fifty kilos of refined spice."

Peering through the grated hatch cover, Finn strained to hear what was transpiring down the corridor.

"Can you see them?" an anxious Rey asked.

He shook his head. "No. They're too far away. I can hear that they're talking, but I can't make out the words. At least they aren't shooting at each other. Yet."

Cade and Rey were relieved, but both knew that wouldn't last long.

"Come on, armory has got to be this way." He looked back at the hesitation each of them had. "Coming?" he asked.

"Right behind you," they both replied with reluctance in their voices. Together they started moving fast through the crawl space.

Han smiled while spinning a ready response, having already anticipated Bala-Tik's likely reaction. "Sure, right. See, you had taken the ship from us before due to debts. And we already paid you triple what it was worth, so we figured we technically bought the ship back."

"No, that's not how this works Solo. I want the spice you stole."

Han spread his hands wide. "I don't have any spice on the ship. You can take a look for yourselves, but you won't find it here."

"No, it's on this ship." Relentless _and_ cold. "And I want it back. Plus the thirty-thousand credit investment we gave you."

"A modest investment on your part. But don't my business ventures always pay off?"

"No, they don't."

Han responded with an exaggerated shake of his head and looked up at his companion. "Can you believe this Chewie? He accuses us of stealing his product when we never even had it." His tone turned challenging. "Don't you want your proceeds?"

"No, I want my cargo and investment back, Solo. Hand it over." The gang leader's voice turned menacing. " _Now_."

Han rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine! If that's the way you want it."

"Kanjiklub also wants their thirty thousand back."

Han gaped at him. "What?"

"Kanjiklub," Bala-Tik replied without twitching as much as an eyelash.

Han turned a disbelieving color, his voice filled with outrage. "Oh come on! You can't trust those little freaks!"

Quiet crawling had brought Cade, Rey, and Finn to a position dangerously close to the intruders. They could now hear what they were saying. And saw they were armed.

"They have blasters," she whispered.

Cade nodded in agreement. "A lot of 'em."

Above, Han continued the dialogue. "C'mon, Bala—how long have we known each other?"

The gang leader was beginning to lose patience with the smuggler. "The question is, how much longer _will_ we know each other? Not long, I think."

Han's face turned to mock hurt. "Don't you trust me anymore? Take a look around the ship if you must, you'll find no spice here. If you will follow me to the nearest system, I can withdraw your money for you."

The gang leader's gaze narrowed. "Come with you? Try to follow you in hyperspace? So that you can lose us and disappear? I think not. I don't trust you anymore, Solo." He indicated his men. " _We_ don't trust you. So give us back our spice and money. Kanjiklub wants their investment back, too."

Han's reply was rife with frustration. I told you: I never _made_ a deal with Kanjiklub!"

The leader gave an indifferent shrug. "Tell that to Kanjiklub." He nodded, looking past Han and Chewbacca.

Both peered back the way they had come. At the other end of the same corridor, another portal opened. An additional clutch of armed intruders appeared, whereupon Han's face lost another bit of color. Though the newcomers differed greatly in appearance from the Guavians, he recognized them immediately from their patchwork armor and heavy gear.

Kanjiklub cohorts.

Their leader, a long-haired, grim-faced, and thoroughly disreputable individual wanted on at least six worlds, emerged from the group to confront him. Han greeted this unwelcome boarder with a smile that was infested with bogus.

"Tasu Leech! Good to see you!"

Han knew perfectly well that Leech would never defile himself by speaking Basic, so he was not surprised when the man replied in another language. One with which Han was familiar with, unfortunately. "Wrong again Solo. It's over for you, and your associate." Raising the weapon he held, he aimed it down the corridor.

Chewie growled a response, causing Han to mutter under his breath.

"Not now, Chewie! That won't help." Han took a deep breath.

"Guys! You're all gonna get what I promised."

Bala-Tik was not impressed. "Your game is old." He called out from the other side of the corridor. "You've played it too many times. Your excuses are worn thin. Everyone knows them. You are tired, Han Solo. Tired and old, just like your game. There is no one left in the galaxy for you to swindle."

"Nowhere left for you to hide," added Leech, not to be outdone. "Usually a senile old fool knows when to retire. Sometimes he simply needs to be retired." He started to raise his weapon.

"Wait!" Something had caught Bala-Tik's attention. Taking a couple steps forward, he peered between Han and Chewbacca. The short, spherical shape sitting there moved slightly to its right to stay hidden behind the Wookiee. "That BB unit—chatter says that the First Order is looking for one just like it. Accompanied by three fugitives."

Han was remarkably indifferent. "First I've heard of it."

Cade and the others had finally made their way into the armory, or what stood for an armory on this old tug. Cade was the first to emerge from the depths of the ship and took stock of what was available to them. And it wasn't much. A couple small crates, by the look of them.

He moved towards an open crate to better inspect the weapons inside. They were older models hand-held blasters. They would do in a fight like this for now, but they wouldn't want to be using them longer than that. Finn emerged from below and helped Rey up. They walked over to where Cade was standing and noticed a disappointed look on his face.

"What's wrong?" asked Rey.

Cade looked at them both, not sure how they would take this news. "These blasters are very old. Their power packs haven't been changed in years."

"Is that a bad thing?" Rey had never held a blaster before. She only knew the basics of them. Just aim and pull the trigger

It was Finn who filled in her gap of knowledge. "Battery packs should be cleaned or replaced every so often. If you don't, the blaster will blow up in your hand."

Rey was astonished and looked at Cade for confirmation. He nodded.

"It'll have to do. What other choice do we have?"

"We could hide." Said Finn, knowing full well the others would judge him for his cowardice. "Or we could just sneak by these guys and take the _Falcon_."

Cade shook his head. "Out of the question. I'm not leaving them out there. If those thugs find out what BB-8 is carrying, they'll hand it over to the First Order." He primed the blaster in his hand. "I won't let that happen."

Cade reached for another blaster and primed it, stretching it out to the two of them. Rey looked at it and inspected it closely, then aimed down her sights to make sure it was good to go. "Ready when you are."

Cade looked at Finn and saw a little hesitation in his eyes. He understood why Finn would want to run away, but still didn't condone it. He gave him an ultimatum. "Either you're in or you're in our way. You choose."

Finn looked at the blaster for just a moment longer before grabbing it and nodding. "You take the lead then."

With that, the three of them left the armory and snuck their way to come in behind the Guavian Death Gang. They noticed the conversation was not going any better than it had before.

"Be cooperative, Solo, and maybe we can work something out."

Han, being his normal self, was all about buying time and stalling the inevitable to look at all the options on the table. He was a master at the game. Or so he thought. "What do you want to know, Bala? Like I said, I don't know anything about the Order's interest in a BB model or some suspected fugitives."

"Okay then," the gang leader replied. "We'll keep it simple. Where'd you get the droid?"

Hand puffed out his chest, attempting to come off as prideful and doing his best to sell it. "He's mine, that's where." Han met Bala-Tik's stare evenly.

The two gangs began to chuckle, almost as if this was a low-stakes game of Sabacc between old friends. But Bala-Tik was still icy in his response. "As you say, Han, we have known each other for a long time. We have never known you to frequent the company of droids. Certainly not to be protective of one."

"Who says I'm being protective of it?"

Bala-Tik gestured. "It tries to conceal itself behind you."

Han looked back at the droid and attempted to nudge it away from him, but BB-8 did not move a single inch from his position. "I don't care where it puts itself. It doesn't take much to frighten a droid."

The gang leader nodded in agreement. "Especially one wanted by the First Order."

Rey and Finn looked at Cade with hopeless desperation. "Is he usually this bad?" whispered Rey.

"No. I once watched him talk down a Black Sun hit squad when I was a kid." Replied Cade, not really sure if what he was watching was reality or some demented dream.

"Looks like the old geezer has lost a step," Interjected Finn. He looked at them both. "Now what do we do?"

Cade looked around, assessing the situation. He tried to remember which way it was back to the hangar bay before realizing they would have to move fast if they wanted to get out of here alive.

"Okay here's the plan. On my signal, Rey, you open the blast door behind us. Finn and I will lay down some cover fire on the Death Gang. Then we all make a run for it back to the Falcon and hope like Hell it works."

Finn stared at Cade while Rey began crunching the numbers in her head. Before she could say the obvious answer, Finn blurted it out. "That's your plan? Hope we don't get shot, or trapped, or lost?"

He looked at him with an even stare. "Do you have any better ideas? If so, please share them."

"What about Han?" asked Rey inquisitively.

Cade looked at her with mock concern. "He'll be fine. If its one thing I know about Han Solo, it's that he can shoot his way out of anywhere."

Finn wasn't so sure of this plan. "Why do I feel like your plans always have a chance of getting me killed?" he finally replied back.

"It's just one of the many perks of being my friend." Cade said sarcastically.

"Great," said Finn in an equally sarcastic tone. "At least I'll die with a friend." The three of them began to move into position, waiting for his signal.

They moved up quietly behind the Death Gang, with Rey waited patiently by the blast door controls.

"Enough banter," yelled Bala-Tik, his voice booming through the corridor. "We're going to take that droid, and you're going to give us our money back."

"Or your dead body." Tasu Leech said from the other side of the corridor. "Your choice, Solo."

Cade realized the conversation was coming to its natural and deadly conclusion. It was now or never. He gave Rey the signal and she opened the blast door.

The noise alerted the two members of the Guavian Death Gang, turning around to inspect the door. Both of them were dropped to the floor with blaster shots smoking in their mid-section before they even had time to react. The other gang members ducked for cover. Cade and Finn joined Rey in a sprint down the corridor, narrowly avoiding the return fire.

Kanjklub took cover as well and opened fire on Han and Chewie. But the two of them were too experienced to be in any danger. They quickly dispatched two gang members and made a sprint down the side corridor, attempting to find their way back to the _Falcon_ in this labyrinth of a ship.


	9. Chapter 9

Cade, Rey, and Finn all sprinted down the corridor, attempting to outrun the rapidly approaching Guavian gang members. Bala-Tik was in front, peppering the walls beside them with blasterfire. Occasionally, Cade and Finn would turn around and get a quick shot off. They all missed, only delaying the inevitable.

Rey was attempting to keep track of their path and not get shot, which she found to be extremely difficult. When the gang members realized the fugitives would not stop, they decided to start shooting the deck beneath them. Only some of the members redirected their fire, making it all the more difficult for the three of them to escape back to the _Falcon_.

The misfired blasts smashed directly into the decking beneath their feet, melting the metal and forcing the trio to jump and dance their way away from the gang. They realized they could not do this forever when suddenly, the next blast door would not open.

There was a stack of crates in front of the panel to open to door. The three of them quickly took cover behind them. The Guavians, obviously better equipped for a fight, were content with conducting a siege. They began to shoot at the crates and the walls around them, making life all the more difficult for their pinned-down adversaries.

Rey yelled over the noise of the fight. "I need to access that panel if we have any hope of getting out of here!"

Finn and Cade nodded in agreement. "We'll cover you! Wait for our signal!"

Before they could lay down cover fire, the gang realized what they were about to attempt. They shot the control panel, destroying it with a spray of sparks. Rey was devastated. There was no way they were getting out of here now.

She quickly scampered back over to the crates they were taking cover around. "What now?"

"How good are you with hotwiring?" asked Cade as he peeked around the corner to get off two quick shots that did not find their mark.

"I can hotwire anything!"

"Good!" yelled Cade. "Give me your blaster and try to get us out of here!"

Finn reached over the top of the crate and fired blindly. Thinking his shots had missed, he managed a peak over the top to see one of his blasts had struck true, taking down one of the gang members. Only four now remained.

"Hey!" he yelled ecstatically! "I got one!"

"Great!" Cade yelled as he fired both blasters at the remaining gang members. "Don't get cocky!"

Rey tried her best to re-wire the fried panel. She had no idea if the thing even had power anymore. But she had to try, or else they would be trapped. She connected two wires together to get a spark in an attempt to open the door. But it didn't work. She tried once more…

And open! The blast door _whooshed_ open, revealing a way out of their current predicament. Cade gave covering fire as the three of them turned right down the corridor to find more blaster fire coming from behind them. They had run into the members of Kanjiklub and they had Han and Chewie pinned down behind a pair of bulky crates.

The three of them ran over to find BB-8 still cowering behind Chewie as he used his powerful crossbow to take down a member of Kanjiklub. He was thrown off his feet by the blast and the Wookiee let out a triumphant growl.

"We ain't out of this yet pal!" Han noticed the three of them running towards him and fired some quick shots from his trusty DL-44 blaster he had carried for nearly thirty-five years. "Nice of you to finally join us!" He shouted as the three of them took cover behind his crate with him.

"We ran into a bit of a situation." Yelled Cade as they began to return fire. The members of Kanjiklub and the Guavian Death Gang were seeming to work together, a dangerous alliance if Han had ever seen one.

"These guys must really want their money back," Cade commented to the group. They were all too busy firing to take much notice to his remarks.

"How close to the ship are we?" asked an impatient Finn. "I'd rather not stay my welcome."

"Agreed." Was all Cade said before getting off another blaster shot that went haywire. The blasters were not very accurate the more they used them, he thought to himself, which wasn't a good sign. Soon they would overheat and explode in their hands. They needed to get out of here, fast.

"Should be down this corridor here." Han said, but Cade knew there was a but coming in there somewhere. He looked at his uncle and encouraged him onward.

"But it's a gauntlet. We've got multiple access points where the gangs could cut us off. We'll have to be quick." He looked at BB-8. "That means you squirt."

BB-8 chirped a reply that was not polite towards Han. Cade gave the droid a concerning look. "I believe in you buddy. Just stick close to me."

Chewbacca was still sending massive bolts of energy down the corridor that melted entire chunks of the wall off. "You ready, pal?" Han asked him. He gave him an affirmative growl as more bolts were released from his giant crossbow.

"Alright everyone, listen up," said Han, taking over the leadership role that he had become accustomed to during the years of the Rebellion. "Stick together and stay low. Move fast and we might just make it to the _Falcon_. Chewie and Cade, you bring up the rear." He looked at Rey and Finn. "You two are up front with me. Any questions?"

They all nodded, waiting for his signal. They got off another few quick shots. "Alright, go!"

They all moved as one cohesive unit as they returned fire and moved quickly down the corridor. The gang members knew what they were attempting to do and sent half of their remaining strength to cut them off before they got to the _Falcon_.

They picked up their pace as BB-8 made some questionable beeps as they all-but sprinted towards the hangar. In front of them, they saw the blastdoor wide open to the _Falcon_. Just as they were about to make a final dash for it, the door shut and members of Kanjiklub cut them off.

Pinned down on two sides, they took cover wherever they could find it. Behind crates or old wall paneling. Their defenses wouldn't hold long against these heavily armed thugs. "We need to think of something, and fast!" exclaimed Finn over the chaos.

"You think I don't know that!" retorted Han. "I'm thinking!" He observed his surroundings for anything that might help them escape. He found it in an old droid jack. It just might serve their purposes.

"Droid!" He gestured to the jack in the wall and BB-8 came racing over, getting to work right away. "Get us out of here!"

BB-8 worked frantically in an attempt to find the program that would open the blast door. What instead happened was BB-8 making beeps that almost sounded like a child crying.

"Happy beeps, buddy! Happy beeps." Called out Cade, in an attempt to calm down the droid.

Rey gave him a questioning look. "What? He's a peculiar droid!" he responded.

They took down another member of the gangs, but over half a dozen still remained.

"He needs to work quicker! Or else we're all gonna have a lot more holes in us!" yelled Finn as his blaster finally died. Frustrated, he threw it on the ground and it shattered.

Suddenly, the door opened. BB-8 had done it! They were about to make their way towards the Falcon when they were pinned down by more fire. One of the members of Kanjiklub had brought in a heavy weapon placement. He began to lay down massive amounts of fire that allowed the other gang members to move closer to their quarry.

Cade attempted to take him down, but was surprised when his blaster started to heat up in his hand. Not realizing what was happening soon enough, he attempted to throw the weapon at the gang members.

But it was too late. The blaster exploded in his hand and sent sharp waves of pain through his entire arm. He knelt down behind a crate and cried out in pain as his hand took the brunt of the blast.

"Cade!" yelled a worried Han as he attempted to make his way towards his wounded nephew. Chewbacca was closer and let out a war-like feral growl. He moved faster than Han had ever seen him move before. He took down two gang members on the way to Cade, one of them being the heavy gunner.

The giant Wookiee shielded Cade with his body while the others provided cover fire. Han motioned towards the rest of them. "Cover them! We're gonna move!"

Rey looked behind them, still noticing the two gang members back there. "What about the ones behind us!"

"You worry about covering Chewie and Cade! I'll deal with the ones behind us!"

Rey and Finn moved in to help Chewie while Han got off two quick shots to take down the members flanking them. They moved quickly and made their way through the blast door, making sure to keep the rest of the gang members occupied.

With his back turned, Chewie never saw the shot. The gang member missed, but if he was only concerned for his own safety, the Wookiee would have been able to dodge the glancing shot easily. Instead, he took the shot directly in the shoulder. The impact sent him and Cade crashing to the deck.

Doubling back and encouraging Finn and Rey onward, Han took down the Guavian who had hit Chewbacca and attempted to pick him up.

"Get up! Chewie, get up!" Han was able to get one arm underneath the wounded Wookiee and strained with all his might. It was like trying to lift a mountain. A big, heavy, hairy, smelly, and badly bleeding mountain. One that he would no more leave behind than he would his ship, his nephew, or himself.

Had Rey and Finn not laid down cover fire, the three of them would have never made it back to the _Falcon_. There were too many guns and too many blasts to avoid. They had eliminated a large portion of the intruders. But the shot that struck Chewie would have been their downfall had the others not been there to assist.

The group quickly made their way back to the ramp of the _Falcon_. Chewie and Cade began stumbling back to the medical bay while Han closed the ramp. He looked at Rey and Finn who were standing there just looking at him. He immediately started barking orders.

"You shut the hatch behind us!" he instructed Rey, who nodded a swift response. To Finn he snapped, "You take care of Chewie and Cade!" Cade was able to walk, but Chewie clearly needed help.

"How do I do that?" the former trooper called after the pilot. To no avail. Han didn't answer.

Cade wasn't too hard to take care of, seeing as he went off into a corner and began to assess the wound himself. The big hairy Wookie, on the other hand, was another matter entirely.

Chewbacca groaned, bellowed, and chuffed suggestions. Of which, Finn understood none of. He had to employ all his strength just to keep them both upright. He looked to Cade for a possible translation, but he was too busy trying to patch up his wounds.

 _If he falls on me_ , he decided worriedly, _it's all over_.

He began digging through boxes of medical supplies as the Wookiee deposited himself on the padded alcove that served as the medbay. He felt comfortable in treating wounds, as it was training all Stormtroopers received. Hopefully the shoulder wound did not present any surprises.

In the cockpit, Han was hitting one control after another, bringing the Falcon back on line. With each green telltale that lit up, a little of his own life did, too. He was startled when Rey arrived and without warning, settled down in Chewbacca's seat.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He gestured back in the direction of the lounge where the rest of the group was. "Passengers back there."

Sliding her fingers over the console controls, she spoke while barely glancing in his direction. "You need a copilot."

Han frowned at her. "I got one. He's right back there." Raising his voice, he yelled toward the lounge. " _Right? I've got a copilot_?" A bellow of pain greeted his query.

" _C'mon, Chewie: It's just a flesh wound_!" Han heard Finn say. This observation only prompted more bellowing, which was considerably more stressed, and carrying with it undertones of something approaching annoyance.

" _Fine_!" Han shouted back. "Be that way!" Han's hands flew over the controls. "Watch thrust on your end: We're gonna jump to lightspeed."

Rey knew a lot about ships, all kinds of ships. But she had never heard of anyone attempting the maneuver had he just proposed. Mainly because it was purely insane.

"From _inside_ the hangar? Is that even possible?"

He was wholly at one with the Falcon now, focused intently on the instrumentation. "I never answer that question until after I've done it." He paused to look at her face for just a moment to see if she was ready. "Shields up, and angle 'em."

Rey worked the controls. "Got it." She glanced over at him. "Pretty muscular shields for a Corellian freighter."

"My people build 'em the way I like 'em," he said with pride in his voice. "I've added some modifications over the years. Believe it or not, there are people out there who don't like me very much."

"Hard to imagine," she murmured.

Seeing the Falcon was beginning to power up, some gang members decided to take a chance and fire at the ship from behind. Han knew it was now or never. He yelled back in the direction of the medbay. "Hang on back there! We're leaving—in a hurry!" The ship began taking more fire from the Guavian's weapons.

"Come on, baby," Han was murmuring, "don't let me down." He pulled the main hyperdrive control.

Nothing.

" _What_?"

Both of them began to look frantically around the cockpit for what could be wrong. Rey identified it. "The compressor! You'll have to disable it from…" Was all she was able to get out before Han reached down and yanked the component clear out of the control board.

An enormous, overpowering _thunder_ filled the cargo hangar as the Falcon's engines came to life. The gang members who had foolishly decided to rush the ship were blasted into oblivion as the Falcon shot out from the open hangar bay, leaving the remaining gang members behind.

In another part of the vessel emerged Bala-Tik from a melted durasteel crate with numerous blast holes in it. He had lost all but one man, while Kanjiklub had only lost four of its members. He was infuriated for not being able to collect on Solo's debts. But, he could still gain a small reward for the information he possessed. With contact established, he spoke into his personal holocommunicator.

"My name is Bala-Tik. I am a Guavian trader. My personal history is available for general assessment. I am letting it be known that the individual known as Han Solo is likely in possession of the droid that is the subject of a search by the First Order. He and a number of allies are currently aboard the _Millennium Falcon_ heading an unknown destination. Please be advised."

He closed the contact. It was out there now. Every bounty hunter and debt collector this side of the Western Reaches would now be on the lookout for one of the most recognizable faces in the galaxy. It was unlikely that he would be the one to find him, but at least he would have the satisfaction that someone would make Solo pay.


	10. Chapter 10

The information arrived at the Republic military base on D'Qar coded and encrypted. Like all transmissions coming into the intelligence wing, they were protected from prying eyes. But this transmission was much different. It came to Leia's personal holocommunicator. The connection had been established by the best slicers in the galaxy. Only a handful of beings knew its frequency. It had to be important.

She activated her privacy window in her office to let her aides know not to enter. She keyed the correct frequency, as she had remembered it by heart over the years, and played the message. It was her nephew Cade, but it was displayed under his codename, Agent Dewback. But it wasn't just of his head and upper torso. It was an entire body shot. There was the distinct sound of blasterfire in the background. Cade was shouting to someone. He was leaned over a console trying to repair something before he pointed at the person recording it. Then the recording shut off.

The communication stayed blank for a few moments before a text line appeared. It read, "COMPROMISED. SEND REINFORCEMENTS IMMEDIATELY. FIRST ORDER PRESENT." She realized it had to have been BB-8 who had sent the message. The only problem was that the message was time-stamped nearly twenty-four hours ago. They would be long gone by now. But she had to try.

She got up with purpose from her desk and walked briskly out of her office. She exited her executive suite as head of military intelligence. Her secretary immediately packed up his datapad and attempted to catch up. She was nearly thirty years his senior, but she moved like a nexu when she wanted to.

She navigated the hallways and noticed all the senior officers and her staff were in full military regalia. She had long ago discarded the notion that she needed to dress as they do. She was a former princess, senator, and war leader. She felt as if she could dress however damn-well she pleased. She wore a dark vest over a simple blue-grey jumpsuit. Folded sleeves halted at her forearms. She was ready for work and wanted to be comfortable when she did. It also helped morale when she visited the various troopers stationed over the planet. She was one of them at heart, and they knew it. She even dressed as they did. Admiral Ackbar was the only one of the old guard left. She had to keep that rebellious spirit alive.

She made her way to the main communications blister where Admiral Ackbar and his staff were located. They were busy evaluating war games from the Outer Rim when she approached him. Captain Snap Wexley, second-in-command of Black Squadron under Poe Dameron, was standing next to him.

Snap turned around and immediately saluted her, "General, it's good to see you, ma'am."

She nodded at him and he turned around, going back to his duties. Admiral Ackbar then turned around, as if oblivious to the entire exchange. It was a game they had played with each other for years.

"General Organa!" he said, his aquatic-like voice booming throughout the room. He was nearing the end of his lifespan for his species, but had refused to retire. The military was his life. Everyone else in the room was quickly alerted to her presence. Before they all started to salute her, she eased them and told them to remain at their posts. She was not here for an ego boost.

She showed Ackbar the transmission. She could tell even in his wrinkled face that he did not like what he was hearing. He was perhaps the only person in the galaxy who understood what type of threat they were facing. He too was hesitant on sending Cade, but trusted Leia to make that final decision. She was just hoping there wasn't an, "I told you so" coming from him.

The message finished and Ackbar was processing the information. He was older yes, but still sharp as ever. He looked at her from one side of his head, as his species was prone to do. "Do we know if they're still alive?"

Leia was grim for a moment. "I have no idea. This was the only message I received on my personal channel."

Ackbar motioned for an aide to begin searching Holonews for any information about Jakku. While it was nothing compared to the larger galaxy, it would still make headlines if the planet had been attacked by the First Order. Someone had to have heard something.

Captain Wexley came back over with Leia catching him up to speed. He was surprised at how much she was sharing, but she had no time to waste. These were desperate times. Just as she was about to start, the aide got their attention. The three of them walked over to her station. "As you can see from this report dated over seven hours ago, an entire community was wiped out. First Order Stormtroopers by the looks of it. Official reports claim to have found the body of Lor San Tekka among the dead." She glanced at Leia. "The Church of the Force is asking the Republic to officially condemn the First Order as a terrorist organization."

Ackbar and Leia shared a look of sadness, one that Wexley was not familiar with. "Tekka," he said thoughtfully. "Wasn't he a Jedi?"

Leia shook her head. "No. He taught some Jedi, yes, but he was never officially trained. He taught the younglings on how to use the Force for the benefit of others." She let a small smile creep to her face, almost as if she was recalling a fond memory. It quickly faded as she focused on the task at hand. She looked at the report again and realized what was important, was not there.

"The Map. Does it say anything about data being found at the site?"

The aide once again read through the report. "No, ma'am. It does not."

She looked at Ackbar. "If they get to Luke first, we don't have a chance," she muttered. A new thought forced her to ask a question that was burning a hole in her heart, "Anything else? Anything I'm not seeing here? What about Poe Dameron or Agent Dewback?"

"They found the U-Wing destroyed. Angle and depth of the blaster marks suggest it was blown up while still on the ground. Definitely First Order: The locals don't have access to that kind of weaponry." Her expression tightened. "There's no indication they survived. It looks like we've lost them."

Leia's expression became compressed on her wizened face. She did not want to admit the loss of her nephew and arguably the best pilot in the Republic. They wouldn't stand a chance against the First Order. She forced herself to continue reading the report over the aide's shoulder. "There's no mention of Beebee-Ate?"

"No droid matching the descrption of a Beeee-unit was found, ma'am."

She let another smile creep across her face. "Never underestimate a droid, Lieutenant." She glanced over at a droid who had served her family faithfully for decades. The golden droid was busy at his station. "See-Threepio. Locate Beebee-Ate immediately-you know what to do."

Nodding slightly and gesturing with his arm, the protocol droid responded without hesitation. "Yes, General! Of course! The tracking system. Oh dear, this is a calamity!"

She rolled her eyes at the droid's dramatic nature. She turned to Captain Wexley. "Captain, take your best pilot and see what you can find on Jakku. We need to get to the bottom of this, and quickly."

Without a moment's hesitation, he saluted and walked off towards the hangar, grabbing his wing woman on the way. Even though he was not under her command, he knew an important mission when he saw one. And one simply did not say no to _the_ Leia Organa.

Ackbar and Leia watched the two of them walk away towards the hangar. Ackbar took on a more serious tone, one she had not heard from him since the war. "Do you think they'll find anything relating to Dewback?"

She sighed, not sure how she should answer. "I hope he's still alive. Besides Luke, he's our only hope."

Ackbar echoed her sentiments. She quickly returned to her office to find her personal envoy, Korr Sella, waiting in the reception area. She waved the young woman into her office. The young woman wore her dark black hair back in a severe bun. The dark green uniform contrasted notably with her coffee-tinted skin. The badge on her uniform identified her as a commander. Leia wasted no time with small talk.

"You need to go to the Senate right away. Tell them I insist that they take action against the First Order. The longer they bicker and delay, the stronger the Order becomes." She leaned forward and gave the other woman everything about the incident on Jakku. "Give this to them. If they fail to take action soon, the Order will have grown so strong the Senate will be unable to do anything. It won't matter what they think. It will happen all over the galaxy."

Sella indicated her understanding. "With all due respect: Do you think the senators will listen?"

"I don't know." Leia bit down on her lower lip. "So much has happened. There was a time when they were at least willing to listen. And of course, the Senate's makeup has changed. Some of those who were always willing to listen to me have long since retired. They have been replaced with individuals with their own agendas." She smiled ruefully. "Not all senators think I'm crazy. Or maybe they do. I don't care what they think about me as long as they take action."

Sella nodded. "I'll do what I can, General." She was about to leave when instead, her face took on a more serious expression. "General," she paused, not sure how to say what was on her mind. "Cade disappeared a couple of days ago… Was he…." She became slightly emotional and Leia felt for the woman. "Was he on Jakku?"

Leia was a military commander and sometimes had to accept that you lost some people. Others said it was part of the job. But it made the job no less easy, especially when you were related to the person you had sent into harm's way. Her reply was calm, but meaningful. "Yes, he was. Intelligence is still spotty. But we believe he is still alive, somewhere. I will personally let you know when he has returned safely."

Sella nodded gratefully. "Thank you, General." She straightened her posture and said confidently. "I will report to the Senate at once."

Leia smiled, having full confidence in the woman. "Good luck, and may the Force be with you."

* * *

The fleet of Star Destroyers stood off the white world. Spectacular and isolated, with a mean surface temperature varying from merely cold to permanently arctic, the planet itself had been altered: its mountains tunneled into, its glaciers hacked, and its valets modified until it no longer resembled its original naturally eroded form. Those who had remade it had renamed it.

Starkiller Base.

Hollowed out of one snow-covered mountain was a central control facility. At its heart was a great assembly chamber that held hundreds of workstations and their attendant seats. At present, it was occupied by only three figures. One was Kylo Ren. The second was General Hux, who wore his particular mask internally.

Seated on the raised platform that was the focus of the chamber was the blue-tinted holo of Supreme Leader Snoke. Tall and gaunt, he was humanoid but not human. The hood of the dark robe he wore was down, leaving visible a pink, pale face so aged it verged on translucence. Kylo Ren had always wondered just how old he was. His face was poorly reconstructed, with the broken nose adding to the asymmetry of the damaged visage. His left eye was situated slightly lower than the right. Beneath his grey eyebrows sat cobalt blue eyes. Old cuts and wounds completed the image, with a large scar being particularly noteworthy, running from the center of his head right to his eyebrows.

Seated in shadow, the tall, slender figure loomed over the other two men. That was the point of course. Only his long, spindly figures showed from beneath his robes. "The droid will soon be in the hands of the Republic," Snoke declaimed, his voice deep, soothing, and very much that of someone in complete control, "giving the enemy the means to locate Skywalker and bring to their cause a most powerful ally. If Skywalker returns, the new Jedi will rise."

Ren stood impassively, neither commenting nor visibly betraying his thoughts.

Hux stood a few feet from him to the left and dipped his head by way of apology, taking a step toward the dais. "Supreme Leader, I take full responsibility for the-"

Snoke cut him off. "Your apologies are not a strategy, General. We are here now. It is what happens next which matters."

Aware that he had just been spared an unknown by certainly unpleasant fate, the redheaded officer spoke up immediately. "I do have a proposition. The weapon. We have it. It is ready. I believe the time has come to use it."

"Against?"

"The Republic. They are fractured. If we target their center of government, chaos will certainly follow. They will become desperate and launch a devastating attack. We must assume the droid is now in their hands. With the map completed, they will lead us…"

"Directly to Skywalker." Snoke was clearly pleased, with a hideous look upon his face. "Extreme. Audacious. I agree the time has come for such measures. Go. Oversee the necessary preparations."

"Yes, Supreme Leader." Bowing stiffly, Hux turned and exited the chamber. He took long strides, his jackboots ringing throughout the chamber. Snoke and Ren silently watched the general leave.

When Snoke spoke after a short time, there was an intimacy in his voice, a familiarity that stood in sharp contrast to the commanding tone he had used with Hux.

"I have never had a student with such promise-before you."

Ren straightened. "It is your teachings that make me strong, Supreme Leader."

Snoke demurred. "It is far more than that. It is where you come from. What you are made of. The dark side-and the light." He paused, reminiscing of times long ago. "Over the last thousand years, I have never had a student with your strength. Your anger. I have watched the Republic crumble from within and the Empire rise, then fall. I waited in the shadows, bidding my time until my greatest threat was eliminated."

"Do you know how close I was?" He asked Ren rhetorically. "Lord Vader was to be my crowning achievement. My ultimate weapon. Had he not succumbed to emotion at the crucial moment, had the father killed the son and struck down his master…?" He was angry, Ren could notice. "We could have been allies. Equals in fact. And there would be no threat of Skywalker's return today." He paused a moment. "But without that, I could not have you." A thin and ghoulish smile crept across his face. "The Force works in mysterious ways."

"I am immune to the light," Ren assured him confidently. "By your hand, I will not be seduced. I will become the heir to Vader."

"Your self-belief is commendable, Kylo Ren, but do not let it blind you, as it has blinded so many others. No one knows the limits of his own power until it has been tested to the utmost, as yours has not been. That day may yet come." He stopped, as if contemplating his next statement. His voice was gravelly. "There has been an awakening in the Force. Have you felt it?"

Ren nodded. "Yes."

"The elements align, Kylo Ren. You alone are caught in the winds of the storm. Your bind is not just to Vader, but to the Skywalkers themselves. Luke. Cade. Leia…"

"There is no need for concern." Despite the Supreme Leader's cautioning, Ren's assurance remained unbounded. "Together we will destroy the Republic and the last of the Jedi."

"Perhaps," Snoke conceded. "The future is difficult to perceive." He changed subjects. "It has come to our notice that the droid we seek is aboard the _Millennium Falcon_." Snoke paused, smiling his atrocious smile.

Ren processed his response quickly. "Then Hux was correct, the Republic has the key to Skywalker already."

"Not yet. It is under the command of your father, Han Solo. Accompanied by your weakling cousin." He scoffed at Skywalker's son, never believing him to be a true threat. "Even you, Master of the Knights of Ren, has never faced such a test."

Ren considered his reply carefully. "It does not matter. They mean nothing to me. My allegiance is with you, and always has been. No one will stand in our way."

Snoke nodded. "We shall see. We shall see."

It was a dismissal. Turning, Ren was fully preoccupied with his thoughts and mimicked Hux in exiting the vast chamber. When he was gone, a grotesque smile twisted across Snoke's face. Then it vanished, along with the rest of the holo of the Supreme Leader.

* * *

I don't know what to do.

Stumbling down the sand flat between towering dunes, the dazed pilot fought to recall who he was, struggled to remember why he presently found himself staggering through what appeared to be an empty desert. His head hurt, and not just from the effort of trying to remember. Reaching up with one hand, he winced as his fingers took the measure of a lump on his forehead that had swollen to the size of an egg.

He'd hit his head. Hard. It seemed to him that probably meant something. But what? A concurrence…. No, that wasn't it. Concussion? Yes! He'd suffered a concussion. How had that happened?

As is often the case with a jolt to the brain, recent events came flooding back to him in a rush.

Infiltration. A traitor. The rescue. They'd stolen a ship with….with….

He looked around and began to call their names.

" _Cade! Finn!_ "

Then he recalled that the spy and the renegade Stormtrooper had ejected from their stolen TIE fighter as it had plunged out of control toward the surface of… Jakku. That was it. He was on Jakku! As for his absent friends, there was no response to the pilot's anxious shouts. Depending on the angle and speed of ejection, his friends could have come down anywhere, Poe knew.

 _His name_. That was his name. Poe Dameron, and he was a pilot in the Republic Starfleet. But if he was a pilot, where was his flight jacket?

Probably still pinned in the TIE fighter he had only just managed to set down in one piece. He remembered the crash now. Remembered recovering consciousness just in time to set down more or less intact, trying to get out of the cockpit before something blew, his jacket caught and holding him back, struggling out of it and then tumbling clear onto the sand-all of it recalled through the haze of his concussion.

He was alive on the surface of Jakku. Alive and alone. There was no way of telling if Finn and Cade had been as fortunate. He worried about his friends but realized there was nothing he could do for them at the moment. More important, where was BB-8?

The droid could take care of himself, he felt. Poe knew if he could just get offworld and reach a Republic outpost, a way could be found to recover the droid. All he needed was a ship. He'd already stolen one. Could he steal another? First, he reminded himself, he would have to locate one. And before that, he would have to find water.

Morning brought neither, only a relentless sun in a cloudless sky. He continued onward because, given his present situation, one direction was as good as another. The salt flat ran between the high dunes. It was not a good road, exactly, but it was a way, and the hard surface offered much easier footing than the soft, shifting sand that rose above him on either side.

 _Keep low_ , he told himself, and you might come across a depression. Where there was a depression there might be dampness, and where there was dampness he could try to dig for water. His survival training just might save him.

It turns out, he found neither a depression nor dampness. Instead, someone found him. The whine of the approaching speeder was unmistakable. Squinting against the harsh light, he turned. A dark spot appeared between the dunes, expanding rapidly as it came toward him. Flat in front and bulging at the stern, the speeder was an unlovely construct, but to Poe, at that moment it had lines as sweet as those of the fastest fighter in the Republic fleet. Standing in the middle of the salt flat, he began jumping up and down, waving his arms and shouting at the top of his lungs.

At first, he thought the speeder was going to keep coming and run right over him. Then it began to slow rapidly, angling to the right. Instead of shooting past, it came to a halt. Emitting a descending whine, it dropped slowly to the ground. A figure little more than half Poe's height promptly descended from the open cockpit.

It was a Blarina. Mirrored eyeshades swept across the broad face above the short, wide snout, and a toothy grin appeared as the speeder's scaly operator closely examine the lone human.

"A bit warm to be walking out by oneself in this country, my friend."

Poe grunted acknowledgement. "It's not my choice, I assure you."

"And where, then, do you come from?" The Blarina's grin grew wider, showing far more teeth than a human mouth. "Or do you just enjoy Jakku's gentle sunshine?"

"I'm lost." That much, at least, was not a lie, Poe knew. "I hit my head and I'm lost."

The Blarina let out of a soft hiss. "Lost, indeed. Where's your speeder, my friend?"

Poe thought fast. "Same place I am. Lost."

"I'm Naka Iit. A scavenger of sorts." Once again he looked Poe carefully up and down. "I might just scavenge you."

Poe tensed. He had no weapon, and in the event of a confrontation, he was hardly in any condition to offer much in the way of physical resistance, even to a Blarina who was half his size. The species to which the speeder operator belonged was not especially strong, but they were very, very quick. This one, he reflected, was also fast with words.

With words he could defend himself.

"It's said that the Blarina are an exceptionally hospitable people."

Naka Iit's grin gave way to a frown of astonishment. "You've heard that?"

Poe spread his hands wide and grinned. "I indeed have. Besides, you'd be wasting your time. I've got nothing worth scavenging."

Raising his eyeshades, Naka stared hard at the pilot out of gold-hued eyes crossed with slatted pupils. "Then what exactly are you doing in this wasteland, with 'nothing'?"

Poe felt himself swaying. He was hot, he was thirsty, he was exhausted, his head hurt, and except for this irritating Blarina he was alone in the middle of nowhere on a nowhere world. He was also possibly a little bit crazy from the heat. Otherwise he likely would not have said what he next said.

"I just escaped from the First Order by stealing one of their TIE fighters, used it to shoot up one of their Star Destroyers, and crash-landed somewhere near here."

Naka stared at the human for a long moment. His eyes squinted and the sun's reflections bounced off his eye shades. "The First Order you say?"

"Yes. Those thugs kidnapped my friend and I had to rescue him."

It was a long moment before the Blarina spoke. "You know, I fought the Empire in my younger years. I'm certainly not a supporter of the First Order." He extended one lightly clothed arm. "Come with me, my friend. The Blarina always say good fortune comes to those who help those in need." Lowering his eyeshades, he turned his gaze skyward. "The spirits have placed you here to alleviate my boredom. Come."

"If it's all the same to you," a sun-addled Poe mumbled as he made his way aboard the battered speeder, "I'd be more than happy if you could just give me a drink of water."

Scrunched into a passenger seat designed to accommodate another Blarina, his knees pushed up against his chest, Poe gratefully accepted Naka's offer of a slender metal drinking flask complete with a sipping tube.

"I need to get offworld." He spoke between delicious swallows. "As quickly as possible."

"Of course you do," Naka replied soothingly. "Jakku is no place for someone like you." He looked to his left. "We're not far from Niima Outpost, but I'm not going to take you there. Local commerce is more or less run by a corpulent slurge."

Feeling better now after the water, Poe felt that the least he could do was acknowledge his rescuer's predilections. "You're very fond of words."

"As are all Blarina." Naka seemed to grow slightly in his seat. "I once finished fifth in a homeworld soliloquy competition. It is one of our most notable traits."

"Any others?" Poe inquired.

Naka's grin returned, his sharp teeth glistening in the sunlight. "We're famously accomplished liars." He glanced once more at his passenger. "I'll take you as far as Blowback Town. There's a merchant there named Ohn Gos, a Republic sympathizer. I'll introduce you, but after that, you're on your own."

Taken aback that the Blarina surmised which side he was on, Naka spoke to Poe unapologetically. "I could tell the moment I laid eyes on you that you were a Republic pilot. You've all got that air about you, even thirty years later."

"Are we that obvious?" Poe asked.

"Painfully so."

The light touch of a claw on a control caused the speeder to accelerate slightly. After that, Naka went quiet. Poe was left to his thoughts. That is until a gout of sand exploded from the dune off to their left. Leaning out, Naka looked behind them, muttered a curse, and tromped the speeder's accelerator.

Thrown back in his seat, Poe struggled to regain his balance. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Without turning, a now grim Naka gestured slightly with his head. "Look for yourself."

Leaning to his right and out, Poe peered behind them. Another, much larger speeder was there and gaining. A second shot from it blew a crater in the dune face on his side.

"Strus Clan." Naka's tone was bleak. "A motley collection of grunks who can't do salvage, repair, trade, or anything else." The speeder rocked from another near-miss. "So they steal from those who can."

"They're not very good shots," Poe pointed out.

This time Naka did look at him. "Why do you think that is, hotshot? If they blow us up, they acquire nothing but garbage. They shoot to disable, not to destroy. Didn't you ever watch holos of pirates as a child?"

"They're catching up," Poe told him nervously. "Can't this thing go any faster?"

"I'm a salvager, not a podracer. My craft was built for hauling, not speed!"

Poe considered for a moment. "Then let me drive."

Naka was hesitant, but finally gave over the controls. They switched positions and Poe turned the clumsy but sturdy craft sharply to the left and began to slow.

"What are you doing?" Naka screamed. "I could have done this myself."

"Just trust me. Indicate that we're going to surrender." Poe was studying the instruments on the speeder. They seemed pretty straightforward.

Watching the bigger speeder come up on them via the rearview, Poe continued to decelerate until their pursuer was near enough for him to make out the faces and assorted appendages of the now-triumphant thieves. When their larger vehicle was as close as he was willing to let it come, he tilted the nose of Naka's speeder sharply upward and gave it power. It promptly shot skyward.

The sudden explosive burst kicked what seemed like half the dune beneath them upward and back, dumping the gritty shower atop the big speeder that had slowed almost to a stop behind them. The Strus not wearing protective goggles received eyefuls of hot sand. The bulk of the grit storm instantly sank into every opening. The components created a sharp grinding noise as the craft attempted to pursue. It had been temporarily disabled, allowing them to escape.

Beside him, a gleeful Naka was emitting a kind of cackling hiss. Alien though the exclamation was to Poe, the scavenger's delight could not be denied.

"Oh joy, oh pleasurable delight!" A hand reached over to clap Poe on the shoulder. "Saved by a crazy Republic pilot."

Poe glanced over at him. "We prefer the term 'courageous'."

"I see little difference." Leaning back in the passenger seat, Naka picked at an incisor with a claw-tipped finger. "I owe you, my friend. I will intercede with Ohn Gos on your behalf. One way or another, we will get you off Jakku!"

"I'm grateful," a relieved Poe told him simply. At last, he could get off this rock and find out what had happened to his friends.

* * *

Despite their escape, all was not tranquil aboard the _Millennium Falcon_. Plutt had paid only for minimum maintenance on the craft in the hopes of selling it to someone quickly for a large profit. The components that were working shortly after take-off were beginning to malfunction right before the eyes of Han and Rey. They each went about fixing them as quickly as they could.

The alarms, however, were just fine.

Finn did his best to ignore them as he continued working on Chewbacca's injury. This was made difficult by the Wookiee's habit of grabbing Finn by the neck or the shoulder and shaking him violently every time a fresh spasm of pain shot through the hirsute shoulder. Each time, Finn managed to settle the patient down and continue with his work. But his neck was getting sore.

Up in the cockpit, it seemed like every time Han and Rey tried to squelch one problem, a new one materialized.

"Need to recalculate and readjust hyperdrive parameters."

"Recalculate?" He eyed his own instrumentation. "Yeah, let's do that…" Before he was able to adjust, a number of telltales suddenly went to red on the front panel. "Power overload!"

"I can fix that!" Rey's fingers flew over her controls.

"It's approaching critical! If the hyperdrive blows, there'll be pieces of us in three different systems!"

Thinking quickly, Rey had an idea. "If we can bypass the auxiliary power dampener, we can re-route it to stabilize the hyperdrive."

Han hesitated a moment. "That's risky kid, I wasn't planning on blowing up in the Outer Rim today."

"Do you have any better ideas?"

Han looked at her for a moment and realized she was right. "Alright kid, when I saw now, you flip that switch." He pointed at the switch behind her. "Ready?"

She nodded. He gave her the signal and she flipped the switch. The entire cabin went dark and Han thought this was the end.

Then the cabin lights came back on and all systems showed green. That had done it. She had actually done it. He gave the girl an approving smile. "Not bad, Rey. You just fixed all our problems."

She was immensely satisfied, with the both of them leaning back in their chairs. Suddenly they heard a deafening roar coming from the vicinity of the longue.

Han yelled back, "You hurt Chewie, you deal with me!"

It was Finn whom they heard practically screaming at the Wookiee. "Chewie, you've got to let go of me, understand? I can't secure this bandaging properly if I can't see what I'm doing."

Han looked over at Rey. "Why don't you go back there and check on them. I've got this handled up here."

She nodded and made her way back to the longue. She discovered Finn had successfully bandaged the Wookiee's arm and the two of them seemed to be having a civil conversation, even though Finn could not understand a word he was saying.

She looked to see where Cade was at and realized he was sitting on the deck with BB-8 by his side, clutching his hand. She approached him, but Cade abruptly turned away. BB-8 followed his movements. "I'm fine, we've got it under control." He said, with neutrality in his voice.

"Nonsense," She grabbed a medkit with bacta salve and sat down next to him, but he turned again. She persisted, "Cade, you were shot, let me help you."

"I can take care of myself." He said coldly, but she was not going to take no for an answer. She grabbed to turn his shoulder and discovered what the pair were trying to hide. The flesh was burnt completely away from his hand to the lower part of the wrist, but instead of bone, there was metal and wires. They were falling out and BB-8 was attempting to put them back into place.

Rey stared for a moment at his hand. Before she could speak words, he spoke them for her. "What's the matter? Never see a robotic hand before?"

She had to admit, she never had. "No, at least not like this." She stared a moment longer. "The one's I've seen were never so…" She trailed off.

"Life-like?" He answered for her with a hardened stare. He observed that her eyes were unmoving. "You know, we're just like regular people. Even if we don't have all of our original parts."

Rey had decided she had had enough of this game. "What is your problem with me?" she asked bluntly. "Ever since we've met, you've been nice to me one moment, and rude the next. Why is that?"

Cade went back to attempting to work on his hand without answering her. Even though BB-8 was a droid who was comfortable with repairing things like this, he was not having much success. Cade corrected him, "No buddy, you have to connect the red wires with the green ones."

The droid was clearly confused. Rey decided she was going to help, even if Cade protested. "Oh for stars sake!" She grabbed his hand and started connecting the correct wires. BB-8 looked at Cade and made an annoyed beeping noise. She looked at Cade. "Would you prefer if he continued, or should I fix this?" He nodded and she continued working.

"That's my problem. You're great at everything. Flying, repairing, fighting. But you don't want to use it."

She scoffed at his accusations. "I do use them."

"Yeah, for yourself. Look, I get it. You've been on your own for a while. You get a tough exterior over time. I've learned that life has a lot more meaning when you try to live it in a way that betters others."

"Oh yeah?" She asked in an accusatory tone. "How exactly do _you_ do that?"

"By serving the Republic."

She huffed and gave him a smug look. "You can't be serious. From what traders tell us, they're more inefficient than the Old Republic was. Nothing gets accomplished and problems get worse."

He had to admit, she had him there. But this wasn't an argument he was about to lose. "It's not about that. It's what the system stands for. People have the freedom to make their own choices and not have them made for them. You're saying lawlessness is the answer?" He looked at her with his own smug look. "You've got another thing coming if you think that's the solution."

She began to tire of this constant arguing with him. "Just because you're self-righteous doesn't mean you can tell others how to live their lives." She gestured to his hand. "You clearly need someone to help you. You wouldn't last a day on your own."

She knew she had crossed a line with that statement, she just didn't know how large of one. His nostrils flared and the tool box beside them shook ever so slightly. She took notice of that. "You think I couldn't survive on my own? Newsflash sister, but my father left me when I was barely sixteen because he thought he was a failure." He gestured towards the cockpit. "I didn't have my aunt or my uncle. They were grieving in their own way. My mother was killed in front of me when I was seven years old because someone wanted to take me a way. I had no one. It was just me for a while." He gave her an icy stare that was filled with pain. "I wouldn't expect you to understand that."

She stopped working on his hand and he realized he had crossed a line as well. The toolbox stopped shaking. "I haven't had a family since I was a child. I had no idea how old I was. They left a child, alone, in the middle of a deserted planet. Why?" She paused, not knowing exactly how to answer herself. "I couldn't tell you." She gestured towards the cockpit and towards Chewie. "At least your family is still here. I have no idea if mine is still alive, or even wants me." She sniffled a little bit and finished putting the wires back into place.

She closed the panel on his appendage. He flexed his hand and looked at her. "Rey, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I don't know what you've been through."

"No, its fine. I deserved it." She smiled slightly at him. "I haven't been the most easy to get along with." She looked at him with her intense brown eyes. Cade saw both pain and compassion in them. "Maybe we could learn to understand each other better."

He returned the smile with one of his own. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He extended the hand she had finished working on. "Why don't we start off fresh? I'm Cade."

She extended hers and grasped his firmly. "I'm Rey."

Just then, Han came into the longue and checked on Chewie. Finn was putting on the finishing touches of his treatment. Chewie moaned as Han approached.

"Nah," he said. "Don't think like that. You did great. They just got lucky. You're gonna be fine." He turned to look at Finn, Cade, and Rey. They were seated around the holochess set. "You alright kid?"

Cade flexed his robotic hand with the charred metal contrasting sharply with the rest of his skin. "Yeah, I'll be fine." He paused and looked at his uncle. "I've had worse."

Han rummaged around the tool set behind him, obviously looking for something. He found it and tossed it to Cade. "Here, put this on." It was a brown working glove. It wasn't the best thing in the galaxy, but it would at least hide the fact he had a robotic appendage.

Han turned to Finn. "Good job on Chewie. I- Thanks."

"You're welcome." He replied easily, beaming in his ability to treat the wound.

Sliding a finger across a flush control brought the chess set to life. The pieces steadied themselves before gazing up at the trio seated around the table. Cade smiled while Finn and Rey stared with amazement.

This is a _peculiar_ bunch, Han thought. He looked at Finn curiously and realized there had to be more to the man. At the moment though, he didn't know what. He shrugged and decided to change the subject. "So. Fugitives, huh?"

Cade nodded and indicated towards BB-8, who was sitting right below them. "He's carrying a map to dad. The First Order wants it, and they'll kill anyone who tries to keep it from them."

Han leaned against the bulkhead, clearly trying to process the information. "I guess that's why they sent you then." He looked to BB-8. "Alright Ball, let's see whatcha got."

Dutifully, the droid rolled into a suitable position. A lens brightened, and abruptly the longue was all but filled with an enormously detailed and complex star map. Nebulae, solo stars, translucent splashed of concentrated dark matter, and entire solar systems were displayed before them. Even Chewbacca sat up to have a better look. The trio at the table were in awe. Clearly, this was the first time any of them had seen it.

Moving forward and into the three-dimensional map, he traced system positions and locator stars. One finger traced the outlines of a particularly bright and well-known nebular cluster. Like everything in the map, it was brilliantly depicted. But it was only a fraction of the actual map.

He turned to the trio. "This is accurate. But it doesn't give us the full picture. The trail continues somewhere, but we don't have the rest of the map."

Cade stood up. "Wait, so you're telling me I risked my life and my friend died for _half_ the map?" He nodded at Cade. "I can't believe this."

Rey spoke while drinking in the details of the map. "Why did he leave a map?"

Han pursed his lips; thinking back. Cade was waiting patiently to chime in.

"He was training a new generation of Jedi. There was no one else left to do it, so he took the burden on himself. He set up a school and for a while, it was going good. That is, until an apprentice turned against him and destroyed it all. Luke felt responsible, so he walked away. From everything."

Rey looked at Cade and realized a wave of sadness had washed over his face. He glanced at his hand, then Finn spoke.

His was respectful. "Does anyone know what happened to him?" He looked at Cade specifically.

Cade hesitated before responding. "My father," He had difficulty finding the words. "My father was heartbroken. He never told me where he was going. I've heard lots of stories over the years. The one I put the most weight behind was him going on a personal quest to find the first Jedi Temple."

Han was surprised by that, as he clearly did not know that part. "Where did you hear that from?"

He smirked at his uncle. "From an extremely reliable source."

Chewie expressed amusement at this and Han gave him a sideways glance.

Rey had been quiet for a while, absorbing everything in awed silence. She could no longer contain herself.

"So the stories were true? The Jedi were real?" She looked at both Han and Cade.

Han half smiled, to himself as much as to her. "I used to wonder that myself. A bunch of all-powerful beings controlling a magic power, holding together good and evil, light and dark." He paused, his voice fading. "Crazy thing is, it's all real." He looked over at Cade. "In fact, you're sitting next to one of the last Jedi in the entire galaxy."

Both Finn and Rey were shocked to discover this revelation. Rey spoke first, completely flabbergasted. "You're a Jedi? Why didn't you tell us?"

Cade looked at the both of them and then at Han. "I hate to break it to you, but I'm not a Jedi. Not anymore. I haven't been for quite some time now."

Han gave his nephew a disapproving look. "C'mon kid, you can't hide from this. Not now. Not with what's at stake."

Cade stepped up to Han and poked an accusatory finger at his chest. "But you can?" Even though he was much shorter than his uncle, he was not afraid of the man. "You weren't the only one who lost everything that night. What's your excuse?"

Before Han could respond in kind, an alarm sounded, but this one was different from the flurry that had preceded it. Chewbacca started to rise, but Han put out a hand to prevent him.

"No. You relax." He glanced at Cade. "We'll be alright." He headed for the cockpit. "This is our stop."


	11. Chapter 11

There may have been more beautiful worlds in the galaxy than Takodana, but if so, they were unknown to Han, he reflected. Verdant and mild, flecked with bands of white cloud and necklaced with small seas and brightly reflective lakes, it appeared before them as the _Millennium Falcon_ dropped out of hyperspace. With him in the pilot's chair, Rey copiloting, and Cade, Finn, and BB-8 behind, the cockpit was a bit crowded. Finn was met with uncertainty and curiosity. Cade, was not.

"What are we doing here?" the former Jedi turned spy asked.

"You wanted help, you're getting it," Han told him. "We're going to see an old friend." Cade rolled his eyes and Rey caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. She was staring fixedly out of the viewport. She seemed on the verge of tears.

He leaned forward. "Hey- you okay?"

"I didn't know there was this much green in the whole galaxy," she said in awe. He looked at her for a moment and realized Han was as well. They locked eyes, but his uncle turned away before anything further could be said.

Han sent the _Falcon_ into a shallow dive, heading for a well-remembered location. Speed stripped away the clouds around them, revealing what looked like endless evergreen forest. As he slowed the ship to suborbital velocity, other features lingered in the gaze of his passengers: rolling hills, rivers, and lakes that glistened like sheets of silver foil.

"This place is spectacular," observed an exuberant Finn. "We could stay here for a while, hide out from the First Order."

Cade pointed in the distance. "You might want to ask them first." A towering stone castle came into view as the _Falcon_ prepared for touchdown. Finn could not tell by whose hands- or other manipulative appendages- it had been raised by. Architecture was not something Stormtroopers tended to study. One side of the castle was dominated by a long freshwater lake. Of more interest to him, the other side featured a landing area crowded with small freighters not unlike the _Millennium Falcon_. Like the _Falcon_ , the majority of parked craft looked worn and heavily used, but well maintained.

Disembarking, Rey and BB-8 marveled at forest, lake, and castle. Limping slightly but otherwise disdaining his wounds, Chewbacca ignored the rustic panorama in favor of inspecting the underside of the Falcon. Still onboard, Cade and Han were practically fighting over who got to rummage through the storage unit. Cade was looking for weapons while Han was trying to ascertain what Plutt had done to his ship. They were about to argue when Finn decided to come up behind them.

"Solo, I'm not sure what we're walking into here. A few details would be welcome."

The both of them half turning, Cade chuckled ever so slightly. Han looked back at him, said quietly, "Did you just call me 'Solo'?"

"Sorry- Han. Mr. Solo. Look, I'm not asking for information lightly. I just need to know if there are any conspirators here, okay? No First Order sympathizers? 'Cause they'd be looking out for me now, and I don't need any surprises."

"I can't believe this guy," Han said to his nephew incredulously. Helooked at Finn. "Hate to break it to ya kid, but no matter where you go, no matter who you happen to run into, the galaxy's just full of surprises." He handed over a blaster, which Finn took and examined. He realized it was of the same model Cade had also grabbed out of the storage container. His was a newer blaster, with all the bells and whistles.

Han brushed past the younger men, heading for the exit. The two of them just gave each other a look. Outside, Han interrupted the sightseeing. Rey was barely able to contain her delight at their surroundings.

"I can't believe this place is real. It doesn't even smell real."

He nodded understandingly, gesturing at the surrounding forest. "You got all this greenery pumping out all this oxygen. Makes a big change when all you've been sucking is recycled ship atmosphere." He offered her a blaster. "You might need this."

Rey looked down at the weapon, then back at him. "I've been in one or two tough situations. I can handle myself."

"I know you can, and that's why I'm giving it to you." He pushed the weapon toward her. "Take it."

She contemplated the blaster, drawn to it as she was to any piece of new and unfamiliar tech, and finally accepted it, hefting it carefully.

"It's heavy" was her appraisal.

He considered. Had he guessed wrong? "You do know how to use that?"

"Trigger," she shot back. "You aim it and pull the trigger."

"A bit more to this model than that. Put a little more effort in, get a little more result out. You've still got a lot to learn." He looked down at his boots, pondering what he wanted to say next. "I've been thinking about taking on some more crew."

She smiled at him. "Are you offering me a job? That's two offers in one day."

He looked at her questioningly. "Did Cade offer you one too? I was hoping he didn't get to you first." He continued on. "Need someone who can keep up with Chewie and me and who's smart enough to know when to keep out of the way. Someone who appreciates the _Falcon_ and all her hidden qualities."

She cocked an eye at him and smiled. "What if I was going to take Cade up on his offer?"

He met her stare without blinking. "I can't compete with the Republic, they have too good of benefits. The job with me, it doesn't pay right away and I'm not going to be nice to you, but you'd have a lot more freedom than with him."

"I'm flattered." Rey paused. "But I can't do it."

Han looked at her and said knowingly, "Because you don't know what you want yet."

She nodded. "I'm not going back to Jakku now, but I haven't decided what to do yet," she hesitated a moment as Finn and Cade emerged from the ramp. "I haven't found that _it_ yet." She smiled and waved at them. They returned the gesture.

Han put a hand on her shoulder. "Let me know if you change your mind." Turning, he called toward the ship. "Hurry it up you two, we haven't got all day!" He saw Chewie under the one landing strut. "Chewie! Check her out the best you can. Join us when you're finished." He looked at Finn and Cade as they approached. "Hopefully with any luck, we won't be here long."

"What exactly is this place?" Finn asked as he gazed at the massive structure off in the distance.

It was Cade who answered this question. "Maz Kanata's personal residence. She's a smuggler queen and has been running this place for almost a thousand years." Rey and Finn were both shocked at this statement. Cade replied playfully. "Her species live for a long time. There's nothing like it in the galaxy. This place is sacred. You don't shoot first, or even think about throwing a punch." He shot his uncle a look.

Han rose his hands in mock surrender. "Don't look at me kid, I'm an older man now."

"Yeah, but dad told me a story when I was a kid. Just don't lose your cool."

"You don't have to tell me twice." He led the way as the group followed the path to the castle. They were able to enjoy the forest and the occasional glimpse at indigenous wildlife. These were invariably small and nonthreatening. Approaching the impressive structure and it's odd, trapezoidal stonework, Finn found himself unable to estimate its age.

Cade and Rey gazed up at the hundreds of flags representing numerous cultures and tribes hanging from the battlements. Some of them were more faded than others. Cade holstered his weapon, and soon, Finn and Rey followed suit. "First impressions are important to her," He said to them.

"You've met her?" asked a curious Finn.

"Yeah, you could say that. I was a kid and it was," He trailed off. "Different."

They climbed the stairs, with Han turning around to block the entrance. "The most important thing here kids, is to keep a low profile. Stay under the radar. Maz is a bit of an acquired taste. So let me do the talking. And whatever you do, don't stare."

Rey and Finn replied almost simultaneously. "At what?"

"Any of it," Cade warned them.

* * *

The entrance was open. A corridor led to a sizable open hall of neatly finished stonework where a hodgepodge of humans, humanoids, and distinctly nonhumans were engaged in what struck Finn as a perpetual round of eating, drinking, gambling, scheming, negotiating, and arguing. Leading the way, Han alternatively shoved, requested, or cajoled assorted occupants of the hall out of their path, until at last he halted.

The figure standing in front of him and currently blocking the way was short. Very short indeed, and by the look of what skin and flesh was visible, very old. Abruptly, this decidedly unimpressive humanoid whirled, as if sensing something without seeing it.

What could be seen of the hairless pate beneath the simple grey cap was a withered, weathered yellowish-brown. Huge lenses that were as much goggles as glasses folded forward over both eyes. The nose was small, almost petite, and the mouth thin and drawn. She- for Han had told the trio it was a she- was dressed simply and practically: baggy dark maroon pants tucked into handmade boots. A vest of some charcoal grey material was fitted over a blue-green sweater-like shirt whose sleeves were rolled up to just beneath the elbows, exposing skin that was almost gold-colored. A buckle of some silvery material was fastened to a leather belt from which hung an assortment of tech. In contrast to the plain clothing, the collection of bracelets and rings she wore bordered on the ostentatious.

Catching sight of Han, she let out a shriek that reverberated off the walls and belied her size.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAN SOLO?"

All activity in the hall immediately ceased as everyone, regardless of species or aural acuity, turned to look in the newcomer's direction. The room became immensely quiet and Cade sensed dark intentions from various spots throughout the tavern. He had to figure out how to stop those sensations from happening.

"Hiya Maz," Han said wearily, not entirely sure if he would be greeted with kindness or hostility.

Finn shook his head. "Under the radar," he muttered. "Perfect." He noticed all the occupants in the castle were staring at Cade. He nudged his friend in the side. "Why are they all staring at you?"

"Why do you think?" he replied. "I've got a really bad feeling about this place."

Ignoring the comments from the two younger men, Han continued. "Still open for business?"

"Barely!" she snapped back at the much taller human. "Thanks to a certain mooch who still hasn't paid me back after nearly twenty years. Can you imagine something so horrible?" She smiled that old smile of hers at the smuggler.

He eased up and realized she would meet him with kindness. "I might be able to," he admitted.

Whoever she was- _whatever_ she was- Finn had already decided that she was someone who could deal with Han Solo on an equal basis in terms of sarcasm.

Maz peered up at Han, her googled eyes wide. "Where's my boyfriend?"

"Chewie's repairing the _Falcon_ ," Han told her.

"I'm so sorry he's gotten you and that sweet Wookiee into trouble," she said abruptly to Finn and Rey. "You aren't fooling anyone with that beard, Skywalker." She approached him and indicated she wanted a hug from the man.

Cade stepped forward, kneeled down to the floor level, and accepted the hug. "I've got to try to be inconspicuous in my line of work."

She looked at Finn and Rey. "Don't give me that look. I've known this once since before he was a hatchling." She returned her interest back to Cade. "Following in the family business?" she remarked ruefully.

"Something like that," he replied in an equally rueful tone.

"Come! Sit! All of you! I can't wait to hear what you need from me this time," she said to Han.

The new arrivals headed off, trailing Maz out of the main hall. Being unremarkable specimens of sentient life, they only drew the occasional passing glance.

Among those who watched them go were an enormous hairless mass of slovenly dressed Dowutin muscle called Grummagar and a svelte slice of skin who went by the name of Bazine Netal. In contrast to her hulking companion, Bazine was fully human. Exquisitely if severely clad in a long sleeved dress patterned in an optical illusion of black and grey, she was sure to attract some attention in this place. But this was her goal of course. Attention meant information. Information she could sell to her employers.

The communicator she employed was capable of sending encrypted messages via the central planetary communications booster. With that much power at her disposal, it did not take long for her to establish a long-range connection.

"Yes. It's Bazine Netal. _I've got them_."

* * *

It was a very private place. There was no need to mark it as such. No need for signs or audible warnings or protective devices. Everyone on the ship knew what it was, who it belonged to, and what lay within. None would think of violating the sanctuary. That way lay censure, possibly pain, and quite likely worse.

The lighting within was subdued. There would not have been much to see even in the presence of brighter illumination. A pair of consoles dominated by red lights flanked the doorway. A single projection console sat in the center, attended by a lone chair. Otherwise the room was sparsely furnished. The individual who claimed the space had no need for the usual accoutrements favored by sentient beings. He was content within himself and with who he was.

The alcove where Kylo Ren was kneeling and speaking was darker than the rest of the adjoining chambers. He kept it deliberately so, as seemed appropriate for its function. He spoke now in a tone different from the one he usually employed when conversing with others. There were no orders to be issued here, no pathetic underlings to command. The one with whom he was presently communing would understand everything Ren chose to say, in whatever voice he chose to employ. No need here and now for intimidation, for fear. Kylo Ren spoke, and the object of his words listened in silence.

"Forgive me. I feel it again. The pull to the light. The Supreme Leader senses it. Show me again. The power of the darkness, and I will let nothing stand in our way."

Alone in the room, Kylo Ren- saturnine of aspect, lithe of build, tortured of mien, and troubled of eye- gazed at the silent recipient of his confession.

"Show me Grandfather, and I will finish what you started."

Trembling ever so slightly, he rose from where he had been kneeling and strode off to another portion of his private quarters. There was no response from the one to whom he had been talking: neither argument nor agreement. Only silence from the shape that had been the object of Ren's fervor: a ghostly, deformed mask that had once belonged to another. Ren had modeled his own after it. It belonged to a figure of rumor, of legend, of fear. Misshapen and malformed as it was, no one who had laid eyes upon the countenance that had belonged to Darth Vader would ever forget it.

* * *

While the appetites of Finn and Cade had been given a blow while crawling through the desert, they were nothing compared to Rey's. The two young men marveled at the amount of food she was able to down. It was as if she had never eaten real food before in her life. She grabbed examples of anything which was within reach. Han also ate energetically, but he was enjoying the conversation more so than the younger people at the table.

"A map leading to the first Jedi temple!" Maz was marveling as she puttered about the kitchen. "To Skywalker himself!" she looked at Cade. "I knew he would give you a way to find him someday. Not once did I give up hope."

Cade remained silent, while Han responded for him. "Well, that's good to hear, because I have a favor to ask," Han said.

Maz looked at him knowingly. "You need a loan, don't you? I heard all about the Guavian job." She stopped and looked at Rey. "How's the food?"

"So delicious," Rey said enthusiastically between bites.

"I need you to get this droid and Cade to the Republic…," Han said.

"Me?" Maz said archly.

"…and the loan sounds good too."

"I see you're in trouble," Maz said. "I'll help you find a route to avoid Snoke's hunter squads- but this journey to the Republic isn't mine to take, and you know it."

"Leia doesn't want to see me," Han said uneasily. He looked at his nephew, but Cade continued to eat his food silently.

"Who can blame her!" Maz exclaimed. "But this fight is about more than you and that good woman. Han, go home."

"He doesn't want to be a part of the fight anymore," Cade said after gulping down his food.

Maz zoomed in her goggles on Cade, looking him up and down from her seat. She already knew the answer, but wanted to bring it up anyway. "It seems you have left the fight as well, Jedi."

Cade shook his head. "I haven't left the fight," He glared at her, wanting to know why she was doing this. She had been the only one who had really understood what he was going through. "Would you want to be a Jedi if all the people you know who practiced it are either dead, turned into a psychopath, or in hiding?" He popped a piece of fruit into his mouth. "Not very appealing to me."

"You need to find your father and help him in this fight. It's as much a part of you as it was of him."

He laughed sarcastically, almost choking. "How's that?" He huffed, growing frustrated. "Because my last name is Skywalker, I'm supposed to face down evil with a laser sword?" He saw that Rey and Finn were now looking at him with uncertainty in their eyes. Some of the tableware was beginning to shake. _Dammit_ , he thought to himself, _it's happening again_. He calmed himself and the shaking stopped. He turned his attention towards Maz. "You've been reading too many history books about my family. I'm not like them, and I never will be. I just don't have it in me."

Cade looked at the others gathered around the table apologetically. He got up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be alone for a while." He walked away toward the inner part of the castle, with BB-8 following. Rey attempted to go after him, but Maz stopped her.

"It's not worth it." She looked at Han. "He gets that stubbornness from him."

Rey's curiosity was peaked. "What fight are you talking about?"

"The only fight that matters: against the dark side. Through the ages, I've seen evil take many forms. The Sith. The Empire. Today, it is the First Order. Their shadow is spreading across the galaxy. We must face them. Fight them. All of us." She looked at the gathered faces around the table.

Finn snorted. "That's crazy. Look around. There's no chance we haven't been recognized already- I bet the First Order is on their way right now…" He broke off as Maz adjusted her goggles, making her eyes grown even larger than usual, like she did with Cade. "What?" Finn asked indignantly.

This time however, she climbed up on the table and made her way to stand directly in front of Finn. He started to feel nervous in a way he hadn't since entering the castle. "What's she doing?" he asked.

Han shrugged. "No idea," he said, "but it ain't good."

Maz finally spoke. "I've lived for a thousand years. Long enough to see the same eyes in different people." She adjusted the goggles again, and to Finn's relief the pirate's eyes went back to normal. "I'm looking at the eyes of a man who wants to run," she said solemnly.

"You don't know a thing about me," Finn said in frustration. "Where I'm from. What I've seen. You don't know the First Order like I do. They'll slaughter us. We all need to run."

Maz considered him, then pointed back into the main hall area. "Big head, red shirt, shiny gun. Bright red helmet with ear flares. They're bound for the Outer Rim. Will trade transportation for work. Go."

Awkwardly, Finn rose from his seat. Everything had happened fast. Too fast. The last thing he had anticipated was the fulfillment of his request.

Reaching- slowly- to his service belt, he drew the blaster Han had given him and offered it to the man. "It's been nice knowing you. Really was."

Han didn't look at him. "Keep it."

Finn hesitated, but there was nothing more to say. Pointless words wasted atmosphere. Turning, he walked away.

Watching him go, Rey was confused at the sudden and abrupt turn of events. Cade had gone off to sulk and now Finn was leaving. They had all been through a great deal, and their sudden leave-taking was hitting her hard.

Though his thoughts were churning, Finn managed to keep them under control. He looked for Cade to say goodbye to the man who had been the only real friend he had ever had, but the Jedi-turned-spy was nowhere to be found. He approached the table Maz had pointed out but there was not a human among them. Having been pushed this far, he addressed the red-helmeted captain and his one-legged Gabdorin first mate without hesitation.

"I'm told you're looking for help. I'll work for a lift to any civilized world in the Outer Rim."

The first mate replied to him, but Finn didn't understand a word of whatever language the Gabdorin was speaking. The captain remained silent.

"I don't know what that was," he responded, "but it's a deal." He smiled, hoping the expression was not found wanting. Or hostile.

The exchange was interrupted by Rey's arrival. She was confused and angry all at once.

" _What are you doing?"_

Finn smiled anew at the leader of the alien crew. "Give me a second." He edged Rey away from the table, leaving the aliens to mutter incomprehensively among themselves.

"You heard what Maz said," Rey hissed at him. "You're part of this fight now. We both are." She searched his face. "You must feel something…"

"I'm not who or what you think I am. I'm not special. Not in any way."

She was shaking her head slowly, not comprehending what she was hearing. "Finn, what are you saying? I've watched you in action, I've…"

His voice tightened as he finally blurted out the truth. "I'm not a hero. I'm not with the Republic. _I'm a Stormtrooper._ "

That silenced her. He might as well have hit her across the face with the business end of a blaster.

"Like all of them, I was taken away from a family I'll never know," he continued rapidly. "I was raised to do one thing. Trained to do one thing. To kill my enemy." He felt something that should not have been there, that was not part of his training, well up in him. "But my first battle, I made a choice. I wasn't going to kill for them. So I ran. As it happens, right into Cade and you. I was ashamed of what I was. But I'm done with the First Order. I'm never going back. I'm getting as far away from them as possible. Come with me. You don't owe these people anything."

She shook her head. "Don't go."

"Take care of yourself," he begged her. "Please." He turned and headed back to the group of waiting aliens.

The red-helmeted captain looked up at him. Finn nodded once, hoping the gesture was as universal as he had been told. "I'm ready whenever you are." The first mate replied in his stumbling language and Finn nodded a second time. "Yeah, whatever."

The crew members rose and headed for the main doorway. As Finn started to go with them, an anguished Rey pivoted and turned her back on him.

Finn had wanted to say something more before realizing anything he could come up with would be worse than superfluous. Better to leave it as it was, he told himself. Clean break, no scene, no yelling and shouting. He went with the members of the alien crew, pausing at the hall exit to glance back at his friends one last time. Cade was nowhere to be found, and Rey was still walking away, not looking in his direction. Just as well, he thought as the doorway closed behind him.

That was what he told himself. But it was not what he was feeling.

So preoccupied and bewildered was Rey by Finn's completely unanticipated confession that she failed to notice the lumbering figure and accompanying henchmen who were making their way through the crowd toward her. She was utterly blind to the approach until one thick hand reached out to grab her.

"Hello, Rey."

She recognized the voice before she even saw the face.

 _Unkar Plutt_.

There was no mistaking that repulsive countenance. After sparing a quick glance for his oversized minions, she turned her attention to him, astonished.

"How- how did you find me?

He smiled. It did not improve his appearance. "The ship you stole. You can't really track a ship while it's in hyperspace. But when it emerges, particularly after it sets down somewhere, there are ways. Expensive, but in the case of the _Falcon_ , definitely worth it. I fitted it with an old Imperial homing device years ago. I simply fired up the relays, and here I am."

No one in the hall was paying them the least attention, she noticed worriedly. In a place where everyone minded their own business, she found herself wishing fervently for someone to butt in. She twisted defiantly in Plutt's grasp.

"I suggest. Kindly. That you let go of me. _Now_."

Despite her attempts to pull away, he drew her steadily closer. She could not avoid the fact that his breath was a suitable aromatic match for his visage.

"I suggest, less kindly, that you come quietly with me. Otherwise we'll begin right here, where you can provide some entertainment for this galactic rubbish." Putting his face so close to hers that they were almost touching, he lowered his voice. "I'm gonna make you and that wearisome droid pay for what you've done."

Rey was suddenly a frightened little girl again, unable to move. But then she realized. She was no longer on Jakku where Plutt had free reign. And she had a weapon. Whipping out her blaster, she plonked it right up against his nose. His underlings started forward, only to be waved off by their master.

Rey growled softly. "I'm seriously thinking about adding another hole to your face."

He chuckled unpleasantly, then in a single swooping motion grabbed the blaster and wrenched it away from her. Her expression fell. Before he had managed to grab it, she had pulled the trigger- she was certain she had. But for some reason the weapon had malfunctioned.

He shook his head in mock sympathy as he held up the blaster. "You need to take off the safety first." He laughed and turned around to look at his henchmen, whom were also laughing. One finger moved toward the hidden switch in question. "You flip the switch and the blaster becomes live."

Rey saw a flash of someone passing by out of the corner of her eye and noticed a figure had stepped directly beside Plutt.

"Kind of like this one?" asked Cade. He held his blaster into the side of Plutt. Chewie was flanking him. Plutt looked up into the furry face of the deceptively calm Wookiee. "Why don't you listen to the lady, huh? I'd rather we not make a mess of things in Maz's castle."

"Urrrrrrr….."

Not especially eloquent of Chewie, but it got the point across.

If Plutt was impressed, his face didn't show it. Noticing the bandaged soldier, he became more confident. "Half a Wookiee and a tiny human ain't much to worry about." He looked back at his henchmen and then looked down at Cade. "I think I'll be taking the girl."

Having a look of mock resignation over his face, Cade agreed. He stepped back, occupying Plutt's full attention. Rey was shocked for a moment, but Cade gave her a wink. "Alright, you win." He looked over at the Wookie Plutt had forgotten about. "Chewie, you're up."

Plutt quickly lashed out at Chewie, but the Wookiee was too quick. Grabbing the thrusting arm, a roaring Chewbacca twisted and ripped the arm off at the shoulder, throwing the dismembered limb clear across the room. Looking down at himself, Plutt let out a scream of agony as his underlings hurriedly fled the castle.

"You alright?" Cade asked Rey as he held out his hand to assist her.

"Yeah, I'm just glad someone came over to help." She looked around the tavern as Cade pulled her up. "I thought I was done for."

Cade followed her gaze. "Where's Finn?"

She was reminded about what got her into this mess in the first place. "He left with a crew bound for the Outer Rim," she gave him a look of annoyance. "Why didn't you tell me he was a Stormtrooper?"

Shocked as he was that Finn had told her, Cade shrugged. "It wasn't my secret to tell."

"Fair enough." She then smiled at him. "Are you don't sulking now?"

He returned the smile. "Yeah, I'm done. Let's go find Han." He turned around to find his former protector and now that of Rey. "C'mon Chewie."

Chewbacca growled an affirmative, making sure Plutt was still running away, then followed the duo as they headed back to the table.

The arm had landed on a table where a group of four-armed, long-snouted Culisettos were gambling. With an annoyed huff, one of them picked up the amputated limb and absently tossed it aside, allowing the game to resume. Nearby, a small bipedal GA-97 droid who had been monitoring the pastime curiously turned to check the source of the excised limb. Though it had originally focused on the retreating one-armed form, it now focused all of the attention on the human male assisting the girl to her feet. Visual recognition of the red hair and blue-eyed man ignited a small but very important internal sequence that concluded with the GA-97 sending out a compressed signal that was bounced around, coded, decoded, encrypted, and flashed out into deep space.

Where it very soon was picked up, decoded, and decrypted, to become the impetus for an electronic shout of joy.

* * *

Only on very rare occasions did C-3PO encounter a need for forward speed. This was one of them, but his ambulatory programming restricted him to a gait that was less than satisfactory. If only, he mused, he could move as fast as he could talk.

Despite his motive infirmity, he eventually found General Organa in her office suite, surrounded by aides. She was deep in conversations with an intelligence specialist. Ignoring the fact that they were engaged in serious discussion, the droid started speaking without prefacing his arrival.

"Princess- I mean, General!" At the sound of the protocol's familiar voice, Leia turned and waved off the tech.

"What is it Threepio?" she asked impatiently.

He lowered his voice so the others could not hear. "I believe I have successfully located Master Cade! According to the information I have just received through our scattered but attentive network, he is presently within the castle of Maz Kanata on Takodana.

Leia let out a gasp of excitement. "Maz- I knew you could do it, Threepio! Good work!" She got the attention of the aides and techs to follow her as she made her way out of the office. "Get me Admiral Ackbar! This changes everything."

 **Author's Note** : Thanks so much for reading up until this point! I will try to post a new chapter every two weeks, most likely on a Thursday or Friday. I graduated in the spring and I'm attempting to find "a big boy job". I'm also working 30 hours a week, so if I can write more, I will. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Leave a comment of what you think and share! The more people that can give me feedback, the better!

Excelsior and May the Force Be With You!

-Vikesman100


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note** : Sorry I have not fulfilled my end of the bargain everyone. Life has just been super hectic lately. Work has been scheduling me practically non-stop and I just found out that I will be a long term substitute this fall! It's exciting, I know! I want to try to write as much as I can in the next few weeks before school starts (I know, it's not what you're wanting to hear). This chapter took me a while to write simply because of the story implications it has for my Episode VII and IX. I hope you guys enjoy!

May the Force Be With You!

Vikesman100

* * *

"Can you get the droid to Leia?"

Still seated at the table, Han had scarcely noticed the commotion on the other side of the crowded hall. When a returning Cade and Rey had not been forthcoming about what had taken place, he had decided not to pursue it. At the moment, he was much more interested in talking to Maz.

"I know how important it is to her," he finished.

Maz's response was somewhat less than helpful. "If it's so important to her, do as I said before and take it to her yourself. Whether you believe that she wants to see you or not. Han, when you first came to me, your most important decision, involving your most meaningful bonds, was yet to come." She shook her head. "I'm surprised, frankly. You were always so good at looking ahead. I think now it's your time to look back. At what, and who, you've left behind."

The discussion and debate was making the two youngsters weary. As quickly as they had rejoined the table, they left it for a quieter corner of the castle. BB-8 followed.

They soon had made their way to a central passageway which lead to anywhere in the large residence. They stopped at a nearby arch. "You think Maz will mind if we explore for a while?" asked a curious Rey. All of this was new to her.

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind," he adopted a mischievous smile and looked back at the table where their host was seated. "It's me, after all." He glanced back at Rey to see her perplexed on a stairway leading downward. It was ancient and it was one he had avoided on purpose since entering the castle.

"It's just the dungeons down there. Nothing to see really." He tried leading her away from the place, but she was focused on whatever lay beneath.

"I- I have to see." She started down the stairway. Begrudgingly, Cade and BB-8 followed. Being a sphere, BB-8 was struggling the most.

The stairway terminated in a deserted, dimly lit subterranean corridor. There were multiple doors on the left side of the passageway, but they were all closed. The one at the end of the hallway was slightly jarred open. Cade hesitated. "I-I don't know if this is a good idea Rey."

She looked at him, then at the door, then at him again. She paused, contemplating her words. "The door- it's almost as if…" she trailed off, not knowing how to finish her statement without sounding crazy.

Cade spoke them for her. "Almost as if it's cold."

She nodded and motioned to carry onward. When he did not protest, she approached the door slowly. Rey reached out to touch the door. She drew back her hand quickly when it opened before she could make contact.

Cade drew his blaster from the holster at his hip. "I don't like this place," He looked at the droid cowering behind his leg. "BB-8, stay out here. We're gonna check this out."

The two of them entered the room. It was dark. Among the stone arches and alcoves where Rey could see, there were crates piled haphazardly. Cade noticed that the shelves were filled with packages heavy with age and dust. Tarps and cloth seemed to cover most of the collection in this room. Cade holstered his pistol, realizing there was no threat to him or Rey in this room.

Rey ignored the various baskets and artifacts in the room. Instead she was drawn to a simple wooden box that rested on a nearby table. She moved closer to the box and reached to open it. Cade observed what she was doing and immediately recognized it. As she began to open it, realization and panic flooded him.

"REY! Don't open-" Was all he was able to muster before she opened the box. He managed to touch her shoulder and the two of them were thrown to the ground. He quickly came too and realized what she was thinking but not saying. "Where are we?"

Around them, it was dark. The two of them looked up to see their surroundings had completely changed. Instead of being in the dungeon, they were now in what appeared to be a swamp. The sounds of wildlife engulfed them, and trickling water was heard off in the distance.

Rey got up and offered Cade her hand. They were both awestruck at their situation. "What happened?" she asked him.

"I have no idea." He observed his surroundings and saw a dim light off in the distance. "There! We follow that."

She eyed him skeptically. "And why do you say that?"

He gave her a simple shrug. "You got any better ideas?"

She shook her head and the two of them began walking toward the source of light. As they walked deeper into the swamp, they realized it was full of wildlife they had never seen before. The place was teeming with Force energy. Cade glanced over at Rey and she was amazed by everything. The two of them covered their noses up when they stepped into a bog. The place sure smelled like a swamp.

They approached the light source to see it floating around a tiny creature sitting on a log. It was not like the other ones of the swamp, however. It held a cane in its one claw and was dressed simply in tan and brown robes. Its green ears were tilted slightly. When Cade and Rey approached, it spoke to them.

"Lost are you, hmm?"

Cade and Rey looked at one another. Cade decided to speak for them. "Yes, we are. Could you help us?" He observed the little green creature, trying to place him. This all seemed familiar.

The creature nodded and smiled up at the two of them. "Help you, I will."

"Great", said a relieved Rey, "because we need to get out of here and back to where we came from. Important business and all."

The creature shook his head and did not move from his position. "Impossible, that is."

Rey was taken aback by this. "How are you going to help us then?"

"Often what we not expect, help is. Your guide, I am."

Rey was beginning to grow impatient. "Our guide through what?"

Cade was beginning to piece the puzzle together. The swamp. This little green creature. He knew he had heard of it before. He just hoped he was right. He touched Rey's arm, attempting to calm her down. "I think I know what he means," he looked at the creature. "You're Master Yoda, aren't you?"

The manifestation of Yoda squealed, clearly delighted. "Good to finally meet you, young Skywalker."

Appalled at who this creature was, Rey protested this claim. "This, this is _THE_ Yoda?"

He smiled at Rey. "My father once told me to never underestimate the Force." He looked at his father's former teacher. "How will you be guiding us, Master?"

"Difficult, the path will be. Trials, you will face."

Confused, Cade decided to see if Yoda would answer his question. "What does that mean?"

"Difficult to see. Choices, you must make. Serve the Force, you must."

Rey was also confused. "The Force? How does that affect me? He's the Jedi here."

Again, Yoda laughed. "Awakened in you both, the Force has. Kept, the balance must be."

Before either of them could protest any further, Yoda vanished before their eyes into floating orbs of light. They raced off into the distance, leaving Cade and Rey in the dark at the log. They looked at one another.

"Guess we follow the light?" Cade asked sardonically.

The two of them made their way through the swamp to where the orbs of light stopped. It was in front of an arch. There was nothing in the arch itself but their reflections. It glimmered as they got closer, almost as if they were staring into a pool of water.

"I guess he wants us to go through that?" Rey asked.

"I guess so." The two of them began to talk towards the arch but were stopped in their tracks by an unknown force.

"Your first steps, these are," said the voice of the Jedi Master. Then, the light faded away and the two of them were free to step through the arch unopposed.

* * *

Rey and Cade soon found themselves in an open field, surrounded by tall grass and clear skies. Rey was amazed at the brightness on this world. She quickly ran through the tall grass and made her way to the sound of running water nearby. She stepped in a small stream without even realizing it. For miles around there was nothing but grass and rolling hills. She looked around for Cade, but realized he was standing at the top of a hill some considerable distance away. She had no idea how he had gotten there so fast, so she decided to meet him at the top.

When she reached the top of the hill, she found Cade staring at something in the valley below. She followed his gaze to see what it was. There was a series of grey buildings, clustered around a small landing pad. On it were old T-65 X-Wings used by the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War. She wondered what this place was and was about to vocalize such thoughts, but Cade began the descent down to the village in silence. She followed him.

They made their way to the village and observed it was home to nearly four dozen individuals from numerous species. Humans, Twi'leks, Rodians, Bith, Mon Calamari, and what looked to be a singular tan-colored Wookiee. Rey called out to them, but none of them answered. She began to wonder what she had done to offend them. Cade answered her question.

"They can't hear you. We're in the past, part of a Force Vision."

"Do you know what this place is?"

He nodded. "Yes." He wandered off, almost as if he knew the place.

"Care to explain what, then?" She starred at the back of his head for a moment before realizing he would not do so, then caught up to him.

Cade approached what looked to be an extremely small house at the very edge of the village. He stopped at the front door and Rey decided to join him. He just stared at the front door without saying a word. Rey was beginning to grow worried. "Cade, what is it?"

Without replying, he punched in a series of digits that unlocked the door. With a _swoosh_ , it opened, allowing them to walk right into the home. Rey noticed it was sparsely furnished with three rooms. In the main room there was a large table with four chairs and a small kitchen. Off to one side was a bedroom void of anything but a bed and two nightstands. In the other room however, there was a smaller bed, cluttered with what looked like posters of ships from the previous wars scattered over the walls. Plugged into a wall socket was a blue and silver R2 unit, most likely charging. Cade stopped in front of this room in particular. He walked in and observed his surroundings for what felt like hours to Rey

She finally came up behind him and peered into the room. Once again, he said nothing for a moment or so, then moved on to the back door. This one was made of glass. He simply moved it to the side and stepped onto cut grass. Rey followed him.

Outside were two individuals dressed in simple robes, a man and a woman. The man had blonde hair and blue eyes. He had a short beard and wore a simple black tunic, with a lightsaber dangling from his belt. The woman had intense red hair with piercing green eyes, and wore a simple tan tunic. At her belt also dangled a lightsaber. It would seem as if they were mediating together.

Their meditation was cut short when a small boy ran up behind and wrapped his arms around the man. The bearded man laughed and the woman smiled and shook her head. Rey could no longer handle the silence from him.

"Cade, is this you? What is this place?"

He nodded. "This is Dantooine. The Republic set the planet up as a colony for refugees after the war. My father decided it was the perfect spot to set up a school to teach Jedi." He smiled and had tears well up in his eyes. "Families could live here in peace." He paused, with a slight bit of anger rolling off his tongue. "That is until the First Order came into being."

Rey observed the woman again and remarked at how beautiful she was. She had a hint of sadness in her eyes. Just as quickly as they were moving, the figures vanished before them. She blinked and the scenery around them changed. They were once again on the hill, but instead of clear skies and tall grass around them, the village was burning. Dark clouds and thunder echoed over head while a TIE fighter could be heard screeching in the distance.

Cade continued as if nothing had changed. "One of my father's students turned on the rest. He convinced a group of them to slaughter the Jedi Knights and hold the apprentices hostage." He took off the glove and revealed his robotic prosthetic to her once more. "That's how I got this. I resisted, and the Son of Luke Skywalker had to be made an example of." He put the glove back on slowly.

Before Rey even realized what was happening, the glowing orbs showed up once more, leading them away to another arch that appeared on the hillside. "C'mon, we've got more," said a disheartened Cade.

"I don't want to see anymore," said Rey fearfully.

"I don't think we really have much of a choice. This is happening for a reason. The quicker we get through it, the sooner we'll find out why." He reached out his hand and she took it, transporting them to a sandy dune.

Rey knew immediately where they were. "Jakku," was all she had to say before she heard a small child crying out in the distance. They both looked over to see Unkar Plutt dragging a crying girl away.

" _NOOOOOOO_! Don't leave!" said the frightened girl.

"Quiet, you!" said the lumbering husk of Plutt. "You're worth a lot to someone! Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Both Cade and Rey looked up to the whine in the sky to see a transport leaving the planet behind. Cade immediately looked at Rey, who was in a stage of terror. Attempting to bring her back to reality, Cade grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.

"Rey, it's not real, come back. _REY_!"

The fleeing transport quickly turned to a bright blue and the environment around them changed again. Soon, they were in a black-tiled hallway over a hundred meters long.

"I think we're okay, for now at least."

"Something isn't right. I feel, cold," she said. A heavy, slow, mechanical breathing filled the hallway. "Hello?" Wreathed in the irrationality of the moment, she called hopefully, but received no answer, except for the breathing. It was getting louder. And closer.

"Get behind me," Cade whispered. "Now!"

Not moving, she stood beside him. "What is it?"

Cade gulped and pointed. "That."

Approaching them was a figure clad head-to-toe in black armor, holding a crimson blade in his hand. He advanced on them. Out of nowhere, a figure with a blue lightsaber crossed blades with the one in black. Cade and Rey stepped back and allowed them to continue to fight. The clash of their lightsabers were deafening. They lost their footing and stumbled out of a nearby window and felt the wind hit their face as they descended down the depths of a dark cavern.

* * *

When they came too, they found themselves on a rock formation. A smooth rock, to be exact, almost endless in any direction. They pulled themselves up and found they were being watched. Not by scoundrels, or deadbeats, or robbers. No, these figures were dressed in black as well. They were all armed with staffs and swords of some kind. There were nearly a dozen of them, just starring at the two of them, waiting for a move to be made.

Cade rose his hand to stop Rey from making any sudden movements. They parted to reveal a figure hooded in black, but carrying a different weapon. Cade stood on one side of the rock, with the figure approaching from the other. Rey realized she was standing directly between them. She looked at Cade and cried out, trying to reach him, but they were frozen in place. The figure walked past Rey and moved directly in front of Cade, igniting an odd lightsaber, its crimson blade unstable.

The former Jedi recognized it immediately. In a downward motion, the figure slashed at Cade, but before any damage could be done, Cade and Rey found themselves in dark woods. They were covered in snow without a soul in sight.

Once more, they climbed to their feet, their chilled breath preceding them. The sounds of battle echoed all around them. The cries of the wounded. And the clashing of lightsabers. They ran to them, but were once again cut off by the hooded figure. He appeared without warning from behind a tree. Rey screamed and Cade reached out for her. They both fell backwards, falling down hard…

" _These are your first steps_ …."

"There you are."

The voice made the both of them jump. But it was only Maz Kanata, standing alone in the passageway between them and the stairwell.

"W-what the hell- was that?" stammered Cade as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Why d-did we see that?" stuttered Rey. "Why d-did we see any of that?"

Maz looked from them to the open doorway and then back at them. "It called to you," She looked at them equally with her intense and large eyes. "Both of you." In her hands she held a lightsaber. It had been Cade's once, and his father's, his father before him, and his mother's. It had a place in their family.

It took a while before either of them caught their breath. That was when Cade began to question Maz. "Why do you have that?"

She adopted a face of sensibility. "Your father gave it to me, in case you ever changed your mind."

"Well I'm not changing my mind. Especially after what we just went through. Journey my sheb. That was a nightmare."

Rey decided she wanted to stand and BB-8 made his way to sit beside her. "I- I shouldn't have gone in there." Aware that she might well have violated unknown privacies, she hurried to make amends. "I'm sorry…"

"Listen to me. Both of you." Maz was watching them both closely. "I know this means something. Something very special. I am no Jedi, but I know the Force. It moves through us all. Close your eyes. Surely you both feel it. The light. It's always been there." She pulled the lightsaber from her belt and pointed it to the young man. She gestured. "Take it. Become a Jedi once again. It has always been yours."

Cade grew saddened and his voice cold. "I'm never touching that thing again."

Rey's voice strengthened as she wiped away her tears. "I don't want any part of this."

Without another word, Rey took off running. She took the stairs back into the castle main. Cade yelled after her and followed. Maz watched them go and sighed.

One could teach knowledge. One could teach skills. One could even, she knew, teach something of the Force.

But patience? That had to be learned.

* * *

The mass rally was impressive. Those who were present would never forget it. For those spread out across the galaxy who supported the First Order could still watch, but it was not the same. One had to be there. Which is the point of these events.

A thousand Stormtroopers and their officers fronted assembled TIE fighters and lesser machines of war. Around them rose the central edifices of Starkiller Base. Towering still higher above the buildings were the snowy crags of the surrounding mountain range that simultaneously shut off and shielded the central portion of the base from the world around it. Something was happening.

Taking in the moment, General Hux stood at the assembly flanked by his most senior officers. All were aligned atop a raised platform backed by an enormous crimson-and-black banner stamped with the insignia of the First Order. With Supreme Leader Snoke taking a more, "private approach" to ruling, Hux became the de facto face of the resurgent Empire. He would embrace that role now more than ever. His voice boomed across the parade ground, artificially enhanced.

"Today is the end! The end of a government incapacitated by corruption! The end of an illegitimate regime that acquiesces to disorder! At this very moment, in a system far from here, the New Republic lives and wheezes, staggering onward, depraved and ineffectual, unable in any way to support the citizenry it claims to serve." Hux was rather enjoying this. He had written the entirety of the speech, with the approval of the Supreme Leader. His words would define the war which they were about to launch.

"Meanwhile, a few brave systems dare to defy this decadent state. We will not allow this governance to continue any longer! Our goal is a simple one: to liberate the galaxy from the ignorance of the elite, the well-off. We seek to create a new empire, one which will care for the needs of all its' citizens!" A hand swept sharply downward.

"This fierce machine which you have built, to which you have dedicated your lives and labor and upon which we now stand, will be the first step into ending the worthless Senate and its dithering members. We will end the corruption, the lying, and the scheming, in one swift stroke. We will destroy the Republic fleet. When this day is done, there will be those who defy us, but it will be in vain! They will come to their senses and seek out the First Order! And all will remember this as the beginning of the end of the Republic!"

The assembled troops saluted, remaining still as statues. Turning, Hux gave the signal as the assembled thousands turned to face the mountainous, snowy landscape. Turned, and waited.

Deep within the mountain, engineers and techs concluded the final firing protocol of the new weapon. A last connection was made.

Above, the rally ground was silent. Then, at a great distance, an impossible blast of light shot into the sky. The red light was so bright, many of the officers on the platform had to cover their eyes. But the Stormtroopers stood their ground. A concussive roar followed. Airborne creatures that had not been driven farther from the base took flight.

Having been gathered in stages by an immense array of coupled collectors located on the other side of the planet, a tremendously compact volume of a type of dark energy known as quintessence had been accumulated at the center of the planet. Held in place inside a roiling molten metal core by the frozen world's powerful magnetic field, augmented by the weapon's own containment field, it grew until there was nothing like it in the entire galaxy.

Penetrating to within a predetermined distance of the containment field, an immense hollow cylinder permitted a way out while ensuring that when the weapon was unleashed, gigantic ground quakes would not roil the world's fragile surface. Such is the price for hollowing out an entire planet. When the weapons engineers fired the device, a breach was induced in the containment field. At incredible velocity and accelerating exponentially, the concentrated volume of quintessence escaped, transforming as it did into a state known as phantom energy and following the artificial line of egress that had been provided.

The energy punched a hole through hyperspace and would not emerge again until it encountered something of equal mass to intercept it.

* * *

Overwhelmed and exhausted both physically and mentally, Rey finally slowed to a halt. Running solved nothing for her. She had nowhere to run to, and she could not run from herself. A familiar electronic chirp and a yell made her turn.

Both Cade and BB-8 slowed as they approached. The droid beeped inquisitively. Cade was busy trying to catch his breath. When he was finally able to, or had the courage to, he questioned her.

"We saw the same vision back there, didn't we?"

Rey just shook her head, either too scared or too weak to say anything. Cade continued.

"I had no idea… I thought I was alone with this…."

Rey suddenly found her voice. "Curse?" she said with malice in her voice. "It is a curse. I want no part of this." She looked down as if not able to say these next words while looking Cade in the eyes. "I'm not like you." She shook her head tiredly. "I thought I was strong enough. Or tough enough. But I'm not."

* * *

Traveling faster than anything ever generated by artificial means, through a torn portion of space-time whose properties were not fully understood, the concentrated glowing ball of energy lit the night sky above Hosnian Prime. Leia's envoy Korr Sella was among those who gazed uncomprehendingly at the inexplicable phenomenon. Disturbed space was energized and lit up by its passage. It was as if a minuscule sun had suddenly appeared from nowhere, heading directly for the world on which she stood. The last thought that crossed her mind was all the things she had never been able to tell the general and her dearest friend.

The beam struck with enough force to penetrate the crust and the mantle. Stunned scientists assumed the planet had been hit by an asteroid. The reality was much worse. So powerful was the orb of energy that as it dissipated within the planetary core, it blocked the free flow of elysium. Gravitons that normally moved freely and harmlessly through the planet were suddenly blocked from doing so. Almost immediately, the resulting graviton flux released enough heat to ignite the core…

Turning the planet into a pocket nova.

Expanding outward from the explosion, a tremendous burst of heat tore through the Hosnian system, searing their surfaces clean of life and obliterating all settlements, installations, and outposts. The Starfleet orbiting the planet, the Republic's best and most well-equipped, was gone. In its wake, the detonation left behind a blazing, spherical mass. The home of the Republic had become a new binary system: one utterly devoid of all life.

* * *

The alerts that sounded within the Republic base were like no other. Every warning telltale lit; every audible alarm went off. Confusion reigned until monitoring and detection systems finally settled on an explanation. An explanation that should have been impossible.

From his station, Lieutenant Brance looked over at where Leia stood beside C-3PO, scarcely able to put words to what his instruments were telling him.

"General, the Republic command-the entire Hosnian system- it's all-gone." He stared incredulously at his readouts.

Stunned silence filled the control chamber. Some catastrophes were simply too overwhelming to draw immediate comment. Everyone knew the tragedy could not arise from natural causes: It had happened too quickly. That meant…

"How is it possible?" C-3PO's optics allowed him to move from one readout to the next without having to approach them physically. "There is no record, no data relating to a weapon of such magnitude." He looked to his right, suddenly alarmed, as Leia swayed where she was standing. "General, are you all right?"

Leaning against a console for support, she steadied herself. "A great disturbance- in the Force. Deaths and passings. Too much death." Straightening, her expression grim, she walked over to confront Admiral Ackbar. Despite his vast experience, he was left as shaken by the revelation as anyone else in the room. What had just happened could barely be comprehended.

"Admiral," she said, "we must find this new weapon's point of origin. As soon as possible and before it can be used again."

Ackbar nodded tersely. "I'll send out a reconnaissance flight immediately."

She acknowledged his response as an aide called to her. "General, we're ready for you."

Her ship was waiting for her. She contemplated the threat as she was escorted to the hangar. To confront a threat that exceeded everything else that had gone before it. She spared a moment's thought for her envoy, Sella, who had been on the Republic capital world when it had been destroyed. And another for all those who had perished, regardless of their personal or political beliefs. First Alderaan, now the Hosnian system. No one, she knew, should have to witness the death of an entire world.

She had now been subjected to two.

It must not be allowed to happen again.

* * *

The crowd of visitors who had filed out of the old castle had turned their eyes to the sky. A light had appeared there, a new star bright enough to be visible in the daytime. There was much speculation as to its cause. Someone had suggested that a star had gone nova, but there were no nearby white dwarfs in the section of sky in question. The stellar apparition was inexplicable, which in turn led to fear and uncertainty among those gazing upward.

From a pouch, Chewbacca withdrew a ponipin and handed it to Han. Activating the compact device, Han aimed it at the light in the sky. Automatically, it linked with the much more powerful navigation computer on board the _Millennium Falcon_ , providing a real-time reading of the bit of star-field under scrutiny. With the lens, statistics and readouts combined to create a picture of what was happening in the chosen corner of the cosmos.

Before he could voice an opinion, his fears were confirmed by someone behind him.

"It was the Republic. The First Order- they've gone and done it." A concerned Finn looked past him. "Where's Rey and Cade?"

That immediately changed Han's focus. "I thought they were running after you."

A voice interrupted them, familiar yet now turned uncommonly forceful. They turned to see Maz approaching.

"You three come with me. There's something you must see."

They followed her back inside the castle and down to the subterranean corridor which Maz had visited not long before. It was also a place to which she had not expected to return for some time. Circumstances, however, had changed.

A familiar door opened to admit her and those behind her. Dark, treasure-filled, and in in the distance dark, a box on a table. "You will need this."

From the box she removed a lightsaber. Finn eyed it uncertainly, but even in the poor light, Han recognized it immediately.

Luke Skywalker's lightsaber.

"Where'd you get that?" Han demanded.

"A good question. A long story- but for a later time." Surprising them all, she handed the weapon not to Han or Chewbacca, but to Finn. "Your friends are in grave danger. Take it- and find them."

Finn stared at the device. It felt awkward in his hands, but at the same time, right. Lighter than a blaster, was he worthy of such a gift? Only time and circumstance would tell. Something potent and loud slammed into the side of the castle. Causing dust and rock to fall from the ceiling.

"Those beasts," Maz said. "They're here."

* * *

Cade and BB-8 continued to argue with Rey when suddenly, the spy collapsed. Rey rushed to his side and the droid stopped his electronic beeping. Cade leaned himself up against a rock.

"Are you alright?" Rey asked him. "What's wrong?"

Cade struggled with his words, as if suffering an invisible wound. "There has been- a disturbance -in the Force. One I've never felt before."

She was about to assist him to his feet when BB-8 started beeping frantically. A fleet of First Order ships thundered overhead, dropping toward the castle. The castle where their friends were still at.

She looked at Cade, who immediately un-holstered his blaster and waved her off. "Go find Han. Tell him to start the _Falcon_. Take BB-8 with you." She hesitated for a few moments before he became agitated with her. "Rey go! I'll catch up."

Not wanting to leave her friend behind, she decided against her better judgment. She raced through the trees and back toward the castle. She slowed at the top of a slight rise. Wide-eyed, she could only hope that her friends managed to leave the complex before the attack had begun. Swooping TIE fighters were methodically reducing the stone walls and towers to dust, as others strafed smugglers and traders who were frantically running for cover. Their panicked flight was futile, as they were quickly intercepted by squads of Stormtroopers who had landed nearby.

Turning to run in the other direction, she caught herself just in time as a shuttle touched down nearby. Without the slightest hesitation, the cloaked figure of Kylo Ren emerged and strode forward to join the battle. She had seen this man before, in a nightmare.

Beside her, a tree erupted in flames as splintered branches flew. One of the patrolling squads of troopers had spotted her and opened fire. Taking cover, she drew her blaster, aimed, and pulled the trigger. The moment of panic that ensued when it failed to fire vanished when she remembered to flip off the safety. Once activated, the weapon proved as accurate as it was functional, taking down the two troopers with a couple of quick shots. The rest paused and considered their pursuit. Calling to BB-8, she started back into the woods and away from the scene of combat. "Keep going, stay out of sight," she told the droid. "I'll fight 'em off." A querulous beeping prompted a brave defiant reply: "I hope so, too."

Emerging from behind the rocks and trees where they had taken cover from the devastating fire, the troops resumed their search, more cautiously than before. Spotting Ren moving through the debris, one trooper hurried to report to his superior.

"Sir, we're still searching for Skywalker and Solo, but the droid that's wanted was spotted heading west, with a girl."

At this Ren said nothing. He instead looked sharply in the indicated direction. Without a word, he stalked off to hunt his prey.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note** : Hi everyone! We're on the home stretch now. I only plan to write a total of 20 chapters for this story, but there's a lot of story left to tell. I hope to have the entire thing published by December, possibly earlier if I have the time. Thank you all for your continued support and I would love to hear what you think of the story so far, especially if you would like me to continue after TFA! Please review and share, as the more people who read it, the more feedback I can get. Thanks again for reading!

May the Force be With You!

-Vikesman100

* * *

As the alien woods closed in around her, Rey jumped at every sound, glanced sharply at every wind rustled branch and falling leaf. Holding tightly to the blaster, she held off firing defensively, so as to not give away her position. Sensing something ahead of her, she slowed and brought the blaster up. A figure stepped out from behind the tree.

It was the figure from the nightmare, once again holding his peculiar lightsaber. Its beam was an intense, burning red, like a controlled flame. Near the hilt, a pair of shorter beams shot outward, perpendicular to the main shaft.

She fired again and again. Each shot from her blaster was deflected. She continued to back up with every shot. The figure laughed, as if this was almost a game to him. He was clearly playing with her.

Until, evidently, he grew tired of it. He raised a hand, held it toward her, palm outward. As she inhaled sharply, her hand froze on the blaster. She tried to run, to turn away, but her legs refused to respond. She could only stand there among the trees, taking in slow, measured breaths, as he came toward her.

Halting an arm's length away, he studied her face from behind his mask. When he finally spoke, his voice was full of menace. "You would kill me? Knowing nothing about me."

Finding her voice worked, she replied defiantly. "Why wouldn't I kill you? I know all about the First Order, and what you've done."

His laugh was mechanical. "Ah, yes. You've spoken to Solo." He paused and moved behind her, tilting the blade inches near her face. "Like you, he is full of fear." The blade cast a red light on her skin. She could feel it's heat. He cocked his head, processing her. "Something." He sounded mystified. "There is something about you…"

* * *

Reaching the outdoors after having worked their way through mounds of debris, Han and the others kept to the cover of the collapsed stone walls as they took stock of their surroundings. Maz turned to Finn.

"Go. Find your friends. They need you."

He looked back the way they had come. "I need a weapon!" He shouted over the roar of the ongoing battle.

Displaying surprising strength for one so small, Maz grabbed the wrist holding the lightsaber and raised it up. "You have one!"

He stared down at the weapon in his hand. Did she really expect him to use it? Blasters he knew, but he had never held a lightsaber before in his life. Cade was the only one he knew to ever possess one, and he was nowhere to be found. Still, if Maz Kanata had that kind of confidence in him… He activated the device, admiring the lethal blue-white beam.

It made an excellent target for the Stormtroopers who opened fire on them. Taking cover, Han and Chewbacca returned fire. No one had noticed the troops who had come up behind them. Finn decided he would take care of them. He surprised the one and charged, impaling him with the glowing blade, followed by another. The third trooper called out to him. " _TRAITOR_!" He was carrying a stun baton, very useful for close quarters combat. The two of them clashed blades. Despite a lack of any training with the saber, Finn was athletic and courageous. It made him a formidable fighter.

* * *

Shutting down the lightsaber and belting it, Ren contemplated his immobile captive. Reaching up slowly, he touched her face. The pressure he applied was not physical. Rey refused to meet his gaze. She looked away, with heavy resistance, barely able to breath. If only she could get a hand free, a leg- but no part of her body responded to her commands.

Surprised by what he was finding, Ren lowered his hand. Relieved of the metal intrusion, she sucked in great, long draughts of air. His faceless mask did not give away a hint of the curiosity he was feeling beneath it.

"It is true then? You're travelling with Skywalker? And the traitor who served under me…"

How did he know that? She agonized as she stared back at him. Surely she hadn't thought that! She had tried to keep her mind blank, her memory locked, but he was still able to sense what was there, on the surface.

"Hm….," he murmured softly. He paused, as if receiving new information. "You're calling out to them, aren't you? You've begun to care for them? That is a weakness, a distraction you cannot afford."

Suddenly, he put his face so close to hers that they were almost touching. She screamed internally. "You've seen it! The map to Skywalker! It's in your mind right now… Show me."

She could hardly mutter a no. She wanted to scream, to run away from this creature, this monster. But he would not allow it.

* * *

The trooper who had engaged Finn was big, strong, and agile. Finn realized the fight would have long since been over if it had not been for the trooper's regard for the lethal potential of the lightsaber. That didn't stop him from finally knocking Finn to the ground and raising his own weapon for the killing strike. He was about to bring his tool to bear when suddenly, he fell backwards, shot before he could deliver the blow.

Rolling over, a relieved Finn saw Han racing towards him, blaster in hand, with Chewbacca not far behind. The older man reached down and with an unexpectedly powerful grip helped Finn to his feet.

"You okay, kid?"

Finn grinned. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks"

They were interrupted by the sudden appearance of a dozen or more Stormtroopers, acting in concert and with weapons aimed, atop a nearby mass of debris. Han hesitated. The odds were not in their favor.

"Drop the weapons!" the lead trooper demanded. "Now!"

Surrounded by blasters on all sides, they had no choice but to comply. One trooper made a beeline for the lightsaber and picked it up. Han's thoughts were racing as a second squad of troopers appeared behind them. They were escorting a prisoner with his arms behind his head. It was Cade.

The smuggler smiled at the younger man, as he had an irritated look on his face. "What's the matter? Don't like being captured?"

He gave his uncle a scowl. "This is the second time I've been captured lately." He pointed his head at the troopers. "Doesn't make me a very good spy, does it?"

Finn and Cade both looked towards the sky. Far above the clouds hung a Star Destroyer. Peaking just over the mountain of the lake in the distance, sat a _Victory II_ -class destroyer, most likely a leftover from the previous war.

"Let's go." The lead trooper gestured in the direction of a nearby transport. "Try anything and I'll shoot your legs off."

They didn't try anything. There was a time to take chances and a time to wait for opportunity, Han knew. What he didn't expect was the latter would put in an appearance so soon.

Han looked over and Cade was smiling from ear to ear. What he was staring at off in the distance was a squadron of X-wings.

Accompanied by two updated and heavily armed CR-90 corvettes, the familiar shapes came in low and fast, roaring over the lake as they blew apart several TIE fighters orbiting overhead. A perplexed Chewbacca barked his surprise at the unexpected appearance of the Republic ships.

"It's the Republic!" Han yelled, as hope surged within him.

Marked in black, one particular X-wing swooped dangerously low, attacking at treetop level. Blast after blast took out parked vehicles and clusters of troops.

Cade and Finn used this chaos as an opportunity to fight those troopers next to them. Cade immediately smashed his palm into the jaw of a nearby trooper, stunning him. He followed this with a roundhouse kick, sending the unconscious trooper to the ground.

When he turned around, he found Han and Chewbacca scurrying for nearby cover, while three unconscious troopers surrounded Finn. He gave his friend an unscrupulous look.

"Save some for me next time, will you?" He looked on the ground for his weapon, but could not find it, instead discovering the dropped lightsaber. Finn bent over to pick it up, along with a blaster. He shrugged at his friend.

"Maz wanted me to give it to you."

Cade shook his head, instead prying a blaster from one of the unconscious Stormtroopers.

"Doesn't matter what she wanted." He decided to change the subject. Checking the charge on the blaster, he starting forward before realizing he was leaving his friend behind. "C'mon, we have to find Rey. She's in these woods somewhere."

As they ran out of the rubble, they glanced skyward, noticing some of the fighters and the corvettes were engaging the _Victory_ destroyer. The black stained X-wing looped around and destroyed another squadron of TIEs.

"That's one helluva pilot!" Finn commented.

Cade grinned. "Yeah, we'll meet him afterwards, c'mon!"

* * *

At the sound of nearby explosions, Ren ceased his probing, but he did not remove his hand from Rey's face as he turned toward the now ruined castle. She remained standing before him, unable to move, gazing blankly into the distance. A squad of Stormtroopers, breathing hard, came toward him through the trees.

"Sir," the leader gasped, his alarm and dismay evident. "Republic forces have arrived!"

Ren considered this for only the briefest of moments. "We knew they would come eventually." He looked at Rey and back to the troopers. "Tell Captain Tame to pull out our troops and begin the withdrawal. We have what we need."

The squad leader saluted. He lingered a moment to look on in fascination as at a gesture from Ren, the young women motionless before him collapsed, and then he hastened to relay the command lest his interest in something that was none of his business be noticed. He had no wish to join the woman on the ground in a state of oblivion.

* * *

The black-marked X-wing made yet another low pass to take out the retreating troopers. Cade and Finn were able to eliminate two of these stragglers as they finally came out of the rubble. They had encountered heavier resistance than they had thought possible. As they looked at the edge of the forest, their attention was drawn to a figure in black carrying a woman onboard his shuttle. Cade's heart plunged immediately. He knew that figure from his past.

" _REY!"_

He dropped his weapon and sprinted towards the shuttle. Finn, dropping his blaster but still carrying the lightsaber in his hand, followed suit. They did not care about the fire from the retreating Stormtroopers. They simply ran through the blasts that gouged the dirt around them. They were finally able to reach the shuttle. But they were too late. They watched helplessly as it lifted off and rose toward the clouds. They watched it until it was a tiny dark spot, finally disappearing in the belly of the orbiting Star Destroyer.

The remaining TIEs retreated along with the shuttle, leaving their stranded troopers on the ground for the Republic. They fled into the woods or were surrender to the recently liberated occupants of the castle.

Cade and Finn stood there for what felt like an eternity when something brushed up against Cade's leg. He looked down to find BB-8, with his main ocular device drooping like a depressed pet. He kneeled down to touch the droid on his head. He beeped out a sad blurb. "Yeah, buddy," he said soothingly to the droid. "They have her now."

Finn began to have tears well up in his eyes as he sat down. It wasn't fair. "I can't believe she's gone."

Their dejected state was interrupted when a familiar voice called out to them. "You cannot give up hope. The Republic is here. Share with them what you have. They need you."

The two men nodded and got up. They began walking towards the approaching Republic shuttles to greet the soldiers as they departed when Han shoved aside Finn without saying a word.

They both watched as the older man made his way to the first shuttle. Cade just shook his head. Finn, not knowing what was happening, wanted to find out. "What's the matter?"

"This rescue just got a whole lot more complicated. For him, at least." He gestured towards the shuttle. "There's someone I want you to meet."

Han waited until the Republic transport had settled itself completely before approaching the main access. His attention was fixed on the portal, he looked away only to nod at some of the troopers who had emerged from other shuttles and were fanning out in order to check for hostiles in the area. He was hoping he hadn't guessed wrong as to who was exiting the transport.

He wasn't.

Husband and wife stood regarding each other for the first time in years. Amid the smoke and drifting embers, neither said a word. Emerging from behind the figure in the portal, C-3P0 walked out onto the scorched field to confront the man behind Han.

"Master Cade! My goodness, I thought we had lost you to the brutality of the-"

It took a moment for the countenance of the man standing in front of him to register on the droid's preoccupied consciousness. A visage changed by time and altered by experience, it required a bit of additional visual processing before the protocol droid was able to link it to the images in his memory.

"Oh! Han Solo! It is I, See-Threepio!" Turning to the woman standing in the transport threshold, he continued excitedly. "Look who it is! Isn't that- Excuse, Prin- u, General. Oh dear, oh dear."

Cade moved up beside his uncle and motioned the droid to the side. "C'mon, Threepio. Let's leave the two of them alone." He smiled at his aunt, knowing they would catch up later. Finn followed, eying the woman he was programmed to hate for years but realizing he would never be able to do so.

Chewbacca moved slightly behind Han and found an excuse to study a configuration of nearby trees that had somehow survived the recent conflagration.

Breaking the awkward silence, Han finally spoke to Leia.

"You changed your hair."

Her gaze dropped from his face. "Same jacket."

"No. New jacket."

Unable to stand it a moment longer, Chewie gave into emotion. Stepping forward he wrapped Leia in a warm embrace that momentarily resulted in her disappearance within a mass of fur. Letting her go, he moaned a few words that contained far more depth of feeling than would be apparent to an outsider unfamiliar with Wookiee language. He quickly joined Cade and the others talking to landing soldiers.

Left alone again, husband and wife also embraced. Han murmured over her shoulder, "I saw him. He was here."

Hearing this, she closed her eyes. "I know." They let the silence take them.

* * *

From afar, D'Qar looked like any other world, green and lush. But the activity surrounding the planet made it a true hive of activity, Finn noticed. Multiple starships, all ready for war, were gathering around the planet. This was one of the many outposts set up in the Outer Rim following the fall of the Empire nearly thirty years before. Finn marveled at the sheer volume of vessels that filled the viewport as Han cursed ships to get out of his way.

Making their way through the traffic, they soon touched down in a designated landing area for larger ships. Careful not to damage any of the immense growths surrounding the landing area, the _Falcon_ put down right in front of an X-wing squadron. Techs were visible everywhere, doing all sorts of work; repairing damaged craft, running cables, cleaning, and the like. The ground was just as hectic as the sky-lanes above. Han and Chewbacca exited the ship, followed by Cade and Finn.

The two smugglers made their way for the central command building, while BB-8 darted between the legs of the two younger men. He was advancing at a fast pace towards the cockpit of a black X-wing. Cade smiled and immediately followed suit, arousing curiosity from Finn.

Rolling forward at maximum velocity, the droid nearly knocked down several techs as it raced forward to reach the fighter with the black insignia. Its canopy was already open and the pilot was descending the stairs. He removed his helmet and looked at the approaching figures.

Cade could recognize that thick black hair from a few star systems away. It was Poe Dameron.

No wonder, Finn thought, he and the others had marveled at the pilot's skill during the course of the rescue on Takodana. He was the best pilot in the entire Republic. His presence, however, defied reason.

The droid reached its master within minutes and a happy reunion took place, with the pilot scratching the undercarriage of the round mech at his feet. Upon realizing the other figures, he ran forward and met them half way, embracing both Cade and Finn in turn. For a moment, they just stared at one another until finally, Finn broke the silence.

"Poe Dameron," he said, completely overwhelmed. "Best pilot in the whole damn Republic."

"Finn," said the other man, "Bravest trooper in the- Well, I should say ex-trooper now."

The pilot looked from Finn to his lifelong friend. "And you!" He held up two of his fingers. "That's now two you owe me!"

Cade smirked. "Only one. The general ordered you to my rescue, and you know you couldn't have turned that one down."

Poe returned the smirk with one of his own, the three of them just happy to be alive. Finn studied him intently. "I can hardly believe it. We thought you were dead. When we found the wreckage, we pulled out your jacket before the ship was swallowed by sand. What happened to you?"

"I wasn't dead, just momentarily out of it," the pilot explained. "Came around to see that you two had made it out. Pulled out of the dive just long enough to set down hard. Impact threw me clear. Woke up at night; no nothing for kilometers around. Went looking in any direction. I was picked up by some itinerant trader." He grinned and clasped both his arms on the shoulders of his friends. "When this is all over, I'll tell you about it over drinks." A plaintive beep caused him to turn and look down. He smiled "Yes, Beebee-Ate, you were very brave."

He then looked again at Finn and Cade. "Either way, you completed the mission." Poe gestured at their surroundings. "Beebee-Ate made it here with the intel. _And_ you saved my jacket."

Finn started to slip it off his arms. "Oh, sorry- here."

Poe grinned anew. "No, no. I'm only kidding. You keep it, it suits you."

The two men grinned, but Cade was looking off in the distance at the command building, lost in thought.

"What is it Cade?" asked a concerned Poe.

"I need to talk to Leia."

Poe smirked. "That can be arranged."

* * *

Buried deep within the command building, the communications blister was staffed by guards at multiple levels. They easily recognized Poe and Cade, but Finn not so much. Bringing in a First Order deserter was not in the slightest a common occurrence around the base. It took considerable time before they reached Leia and her command staff.

She was conversing with a number of senior military officers. From his training, Finn recognized the prominent Admiral Ackbar at her side. Everyone in the blister looked at the three approaching men. Without hesitating, Cade moved directly to speak with his aunt.

"Sorry to interrupt, but" – he indicated at the flurry of people surrounding the general- "we need to talk."

Those surrounding her regrouped around the strategic holo-map. Her eyes immediately went to Finn. Unexpectedly, she took his hands. She had, Finn mused as he gazed back at her, dark eyes that had seen too much for a woman of her age.

"I was briefed on your situation. It was incredibly brave what you did. Renouncing the First Order is unheard of. To do that, and then compound the risk by saving their lives," she gestured at her nephew and Poe. "It marks you as a true hero."

Finn had grown immune to compliments he didn't think he deserved. He was in a hurry. Every moment now was precious to him. But he did not dare to interrupt someone like General Organa.

"Thank you, ma'am. But I need to ask a favor of you. My friend was taken prisoner during the clash on Takodana. I need to find her."

Cade clasped his friend on the shoulder, supporting his position. " _Our_ friend. They most likely took her to the weapon that destroyed the Hosnian system, if they're using it as a base, that is."

Before Finn could comment further, Poe jumped in. Not that his plea would help any, as the needs of the Republic outweighed those of a single person. "Finn is familiar with the weapon. He worked on the world where it's based."

Leia's excitement was palpable. "You worked on the weapon itself?"

"No," Finn demurred. "I'm a trooper, not an engineer or technician. But I've had some training. And in the course of that, I know the purpose of the base and where it's controlled from."

"No reason to keep that a secret from the people guarding it," Cade pointed out with quiet glee, "since Stormtroopers _never_ defect."

"We're desperate," Leia told Finn, "for anything you can tell us. Until the Hosnian system was annihilated, we didn't know such a weapon existed."

"It's located on a world in the Unknown Regions that serves as the First Order's main base," Finn told her. "I'm sure that's where they've taken our friend."

Cade struggled to contain his emotions. "Rey."

Leia looked at the two young men with care. "I'll try to help you," she replied. "Right now, we have other concerns. But if our priorities happen to coincide…" Leia paused and they got the impression of what she was implying. She gestured towards a group of senior officers clustered around Admiral Ackbar. "Join me over there, Finn. I'm sure they would love to hear anything you can provide about the First Order."

Finn obliged and looked back around to Cade, almost as if asking for permission. "Go on," the spy said to his friend. "We'll catch up later." He gave his aunt and friend a knowing look and then moved to exit the corridor. Poe followed.

"Where are you going?" he asked Cade.

"To visit an old friend."


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Note: Hey everyone! I know this next chapter came quick. I wanted to try to work on the story as much as I could before I start school. Hopefully I can provide you all with somewhat regular updates over the next couple of weeks. Follow the story so you can get email updates! Thanks for reading!

May the Force be With You!

-Vikesman100

* * *

Cade and Poe made their way through the crowded hallways of the central command building. Techs, soldiers, and low-ranking officers made their way through the crowded passageways to brief their commanders or prepare for war. The Republic was largely caught unawares, but Leia made sure this base would lose none of its efficiency during the course of this crisis.

Poe tried desperately to match the pace of his friend, with his trusty droid at his side. "There's no way you'll know if he's still there or not. He may have been moved. Or decommissioned at this point"

Cade sidestepped into an entryway to allow a tech carrying a heavy box to pass by him. He resumed when Poe finally caught up to him. "I can almost guarantee they haven't." He held up a key-card. "I've got the only one."

Poe's eyes grew large at this revelation. "You still have that thing? How, after all you've been through?"

Cade smiled victoriously. "Besides Leia and Threepio, he was the only family I had left until I ran into Han and Chewie. I wouldn't lose this in a million years."

The two friends exited the command building and crossed the landing area. Their goal was the personnel quarters on the far side of the base. Poe would not reach them.

Snap Wexley, second in command to Black Squadron under Poe, met them on the tarmac. "Skywalker." He nodded in greeting. "Poe, we just got back from the reconnaissance flight. We found the weapon, but we need help crunching the data. Care to lend a hand?"

He glanced at his friend, but Cade knew what was more important, telling his friend he had more important matters. "Go, I'll be at the briefing later."

"Wish me luck." He looked down at the droid. "Go with Cade. Don't leave his side. I'll be back for you." The droid beeped an affirmative as the two pilots took off.

Cade and BB-8 crossed through heavy foot traffic and soon entered the personnel quarters. It was quiet, as the only people in the building were those who were off-duty. A large majority of them were sleeping. The two of them took a lift up to the third floor. It didn't take Cade long to find the access-port he was looking for.

He punched in the access code to the door and stepped inside. The lights came on and he was home. Or what had sufficed as home for the past few years. Inside was a bed, nightstand, and a table with four chairs. The walls were a dull grey, with no paintings or any kind of decoration adorning them. Cade rarely came here, as he was almost always out on assignment. When he returned, there was someone he always made a point to visit.

There was an access door on the left side of his quarters which led to a tiny workshop. Cade had requested this room specifically when he transferred to the D'Qar base years ago for this reason. He swiped the keycard and typed in the verification number. The door swooshed open.

Inside, the workshop was dusty. No one had cleaned it in the time of Cade's absence. A fluorescent light came on overhead and there sat the reason for his visit.

"Hey pal. It's good to see you."

There was no response from the immobile R2 unit.

Cade pulled the stool out from under the dusty workbench and began to work on his friend. He did this every time he came to visit him. Artoo-Detoo was his best friend growing up. It had been his father's droid for a long term. R2-D2 was given to him as a gift on his fifth birthday. After that, the two were inseparable.

He did his best to polish the rust that was beginning to show on the droid. He was as old as an elderly human at this point. "You need some new panels buddy. How would you feel about going for a different color, other than blue and white?" Once he had cleaned him up, he set down the shop rag.

He cocked his head and noticed there was no movement from the astromech. No indication that he was hearing anything Cade had said. Regardless, he continuing talking to the droid as if they were old friends catching up.

"I know you haven't been the same since dad left." He paused, not even sure if what he was saying mattered to the little astromech. "But, I really could use your help right now. We're so close to finding him. And I have a feeling before we do, I'll have to make a choice I'm not sure I'm ready to make yet." He again looked at the droid, with no response.

BB-8 entered the shop and rolled to a stop at the droid's feet, banging his metallic head against the white body. Cade chuckled. "I'm not sure if that'll work, but it was a good idea." BB-8 beeped a polite farewell to the droid and turned his head quickly as he heard approaching footsteps from the hallway. Cade threw down the rag and made his way to the door to see who it was. As he approached, the door whooshed open and in stepped Han.

"Sorry to interrupt," he looked at the open door to the workshop inside. "Didn't realize you still had him." Cade shook his head in the affirmative and took a seat at the table with his datapad. "Leia wouldn't see me, so I came to find you." Cade said nothing. He had to record the happenings of his last mission in an official report, even though he was related to his direct superior.

Han stood there in awkward silence for a while before he took the seat directly in front of Cade.

"Look Cade," he paused, trying to find his words. "I've never been good at this family stuff-"

"That's a lie and you know it. You were a great uncle to me, and an even greater father to Ben." The mere mention of his son's name sent Han into a whirlpool of emotions, some visible to Cade. "You're deflecting from the real problem." He looked up from his datapad. "You got scared." He snorted, realizing how hypocritical he must have sounded. "But so did I."

"Yeah, and I went back to the only thing I was ever good at." Han sighed, not sure if his next words would mean anything. "It wasn't fair of me to expect you to go back to the heroic young Jedi I once knew. I'm sorry." He smiled and nodded at the gloved hand. "But it looks like you inherited the heroic gene from both your parents."

Cade had some tears well up in his eyes, but wiped them away casually, hoping his uncle wouldn't know it. He wasn't very fond of talking about his parents. "Yeah, I guess I did."

Before anymore could be said, the door chimed to announce someone was outside. "Come in." said Cade. Inside stepped his aunt and See-Threepio.

She indicated towards the empty chair and took a seat. She looked at Han. "I didn't expect you to be here." There was a slight hint of contempt in her voice.

"He's my family too, you know." he replied in kind.

Feeling like a small child being caught in the middle between two quarreling parents, Cade groaned. "Please don't argue. You two always argued and I would like to think in your old age you've grown."

Husband and wife looked at each other, then at Cade. In unison they spoke. "Who you callin' old?"

Cade smirked. "Good to see you both have changed in your time apart." He cocked his head towards BB-8. "Do you want to see the map?"

She nodded her head. "Yes, it's why I brought Threepio. He can analyze the map."

"You heard the general, show it to her Beebee-Ate." The droid rolled forward and obediently presented the map for all in the room to see. C-3PO moved forward and plugged his datapad into a nearby wall-jack, granting him access to the larger network. He began to analyze the positions of the stars as Leia waited patiently. She studied the map intently. Though her eyes moved knowingly, she failed to find what she was looking for. Her dissatisfaction was unmistakable.

While he was in his own way equally disappointed, C-3PO was not programmed to display it. Instead, he merely expressed a rational regret.

"I've compiled the data. I must conclude this map contains insufficient data with which to make a match to any system in Republic records."

Han gave Cade one of his signature looks. "Could have told you that one."

Leia ignored them. "What a fool I was to think we could just find Luke and bring him back."

Han moved a hand to grasp his wife's. "Leia…"

She growled at him. "Don't do that."

It stopped him cold. "Do what?"

Her voice was flat. "Be nice to me." She stood up and paced around the room, thinking. Bewildered, Han also stood up, but he did not go over to her. She refused to look at him.

"Hey, I'm only here to help," he told her.

She continued to pace, her gaze set straight ahead. "When did that ever _help_? And don't say the Death Star."

Cade closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, sighing. "Here we go again."

Frustrated, Han stepped in front of her to block her path. When he spoke again, his tone was softened until he was almost pleading. As much as Han Solo was capable of such things.

"Will you just stop and listen to me for a minute? _Please_?"

The change in tone did more to mollify her than anything else. She eyed him impatiently. "I'm listening, Han."

"I didn't plan on coming here," he explained. He looked at their nephew. "I'm here because he needs me. Needs us both. I know that whenever you look at me, you're reminded of our son. So I stayed away."

She stared at him, shaking her head slowly. " _That's_ what you think? That I don't want to be reminded of him, that I want to forget him? _I want him back_."

He looked over to Cade, who had adopted a passive and neutral face over the course of the exchange. What could he say to her? What possible response could he give to a willful denial of reason? "He's gone Leia. He was always drawn to the dark side. There was nothing we could have done to stop it, no matter how hard we tried." His final words were the hardest to get out. "There was too much Vader in him."

Cade bolted upright in his chair. "And there's not any Vader in me?" He gave his uncle a look of disbelief. "I get angry sometimes and I'm not even sure why. But I've learned to control it. He didn't. He let it control him. He thought he could be all-powerful by himself. _That's_ why he turned." He looked at the stunned faces of his aunt and uncle. "Ben was my teacher for a short while. He knew what was happening, but allowed it to consume him anyway." He shook his head.

Han met Leia's eyes steadily. "We've lost our son, forever."

Leia bit her lower lip. "No. It was Snoke."

Han considered this for a moment, but Cade cut off his next words. "I agree with both of you."

Han drew back slightly from Leia. "What does that mean?"

"Ben was always quick to anger and let his emotions control him," he paused, recalling the events of his life. His emotions were hitting him like a tidal wave, but he stood firm. "Snoke was watching the both of us from an early age. He was watching from the shadows at first. Our kidnapping was orchestrated by him. Ben never left my side after we escaped, but-" He shook his head, unsure of himself. "After that, I noticed him change. I thought it was just a part of growing up. Only too late did I realize that wasn't the case."

Han was taken aback by this. "I never knew this. Leia, did you?" She shook her head, acknowledging she did. "How could you not tell me this?"

She sighed. "Luke and I had hoped to sway him away from the dark side without having to involve you." A small smile appeared. "You had many wonderful qualities, Han, but patience was never one of them. We were afraid your reactions would only drive him further away. Raising a Jedi child is much different than raising a normal child. Your overprotective nature would have done us no good." Her voice dropped. "It's clear now that Luke and I were wrong. Whether your involvement would have made a difference, we'll never know."

He had trouble believing what he was hearing. "So you're agreeing with me now?"

Leia shook her head. "No. Or rather, I don't want to believe it can never happen. Nothing is impossible Han. I have a feeling that if anyone can save him, it's you."

Han looked at Leia and Cade. The younger man was shaking his head, agreeing with his aunt. Han wanted to laugh derisively. But if he did, they may never speak again. "Me? No. If Luke couldn't reach him, how will I? Wouldn't Cade be better suited? They were closer in the end."

Cade was considering this response. "He was," he had trouble finding the appropriate response. "Cold with me before he turned. Our last encounter was not too kind." He gestured towards the healing bruise over his eye. "He'll kill me on sight if I do it. It has to be you, Han."

Leia was nodding slowly to this. "You're his father. There's still light in him. I know it. You can bring it out in him." The three of them stood there in silence until an alert beeped, startling them. Leia pulled out her holocommunicator and read it.

"The reconnaissance flight data is in. Briefing in thirty minutes." She moved to leave and looked with care at the two men still in the room, offering a small smile. "I want both of you there. That's an order."

As she left the room with C-3PO in tow, the two men just stared at one another, trying to process their emotions, which neither of them were particularly good at. Breaking the silence, Cade decided he would do something he hadn't done in a while. He reached into his nightstand and pulled out a sabacc deck. Sitting down and shuffling the deck, he looked at his uncle and smirked. "Play until we leave?"

"You read my mind, kid. Hope you're ready to lose."

"I've gotten better since we last played." He dealt the deck and grinned. "Not very appropriate to teach a ten-year old gambling, by the way."

Han adopted a mock face of offense. "Hey, you know I learned how to play when I was six."

Now he only had to beat his uncle, arguably one of the best sabacc players in the galaxy. Forgetting the circumstances, it was good to have his family back, Cade thought to himself.

* * *

The complex restraining apparatus held Rey upright against an angled platform in the cell. She awoke slowly. Disoriented at first, she was completely alone. She tried to make out her surroundings, but her vision was still clouded. There was ample lighting in the cell, with one side completely encompassed in darkness.

The last thing she remembered was the confrontation in the forest on Takodana, the sounds of battle, and sending away BB-8. Then the mind probe from the vicious monster. She had tried to shut her mind out to him, and for a while she was quite successful. But he penetrated past her defenses, allowing him to see a glimpse of the one thing he desired.

She heard movements from the shadows in her cell and immediately tried to turn her head to the noise, but could not due to the restraints. She heard breathing. Muffled and calm. _His_ breathing. Everything in her world and the people she cared about were gone. She had no choice but to ask the obvious question.

"Where am I?"

Kylo Ren emerged from the shadows, his black armor reflecting the light from the cell. When he answered her, his voice was one of gentleness. Much more pleasing than the one she had encountered in the forest. "You're my guest."

With an ease that was more frightening than any physical approach, he waved casually in her direction. A couple of clicks and the restraints fell away from her arms, clanking on the floor beneath her. She tried to take the demonstration in stride as she rubbed her wrists. The last thing she wanted was for him to think he could intimidate her any more than he already had. Looking around the room, she confirmed they were alone.

"Where are the others? The ones who were fighting with me?"

He sniffed disdainfully. "You mean the cowards, traitors, and thieves you call friends?" He considered his next words carefully. "I honestly have no idea."

She stared at him with caution. Though at the moment he was calm, she could not escape this feeling that one wrong word or unsatisfactory response could set him off. She had dealt with her fair share of cutthroats and thugs, but he was something else. Something much worse. _Be very careful with this person_ , she told herself.

He looked at her as if she had just spoke aloud. For all the chance she had of hiding her emotions from him, she realized, she might as well have voiced her thoughts.

"You still want to kill me," he murmured.

Her true self got the better of her and she replied tactlessly, despite the potential for danger. "That happens when you're being hunted by a creature in a mask."

She had a moment to ponder his possible reaction and to fear it. But he did not do what she expected. Instead, he reached up and unlatched his mask. He removed it from his head and set it down on a nearby table with just the slightest bit of force. She just stared up at him in silence.

In the narrow face that presented itself to her, she saw a regular man. Not scarred or deformed in anyway. A regular man, who just so happened to look exactly like a younger version of Han Solo. She was taken aback by this at first, but began to piece what she knew about him and Cade together. Breaking the silence, Ren decided to begin the interrogation in earnest.

"Tell me about the droid."

She swallowed. "It's a BB unit with a selenium drive and a thermal hyperscan vindicator; internal self-correcting gyroscopic propulsion system, optics corrected to-"

"I'm familiar with general droid technical specifications. I'm not trying to buy one. What I want is located in its memory. It's carrying a section of transgalactic navigational charts. We have the rest, recovered from the archives of the Empire. We need the last piece. Somehow, you convinced the droid to show it to you. You. A simple, solitary scavenger. How is that?"

She looked away. How did he know that? By the same means he had used to learn everything else? He continued. "Skywalker cannot hide forever from me. Either of them. I know you've seen the map. At the moment, it is all that I need." When she maintained her silence, he almost sighed. "I can take whatever I want."

Her muscles tightened. "Then you don't need me to tell you anything."

"True." He rose, resigned. "I would have preferred to avoid this. Despite what you may think, it gives me no pleasure. I will go as easily as possible. But I _will_ take what is mine."

She knew that trying to resist him would not only be useless, but would likely result in unpleasantness of a kind she preferred not to imagine. So she remained motionless and silent, her arms at her sides. His hand rose to her face and touched her again, as he had in the forest on Takodana.

And hesitated. What was that? Something there? Something unexpected.

As she strained to resist the probe, he pushed into her, brushing aside her feeble attempts to keep him out. Unlike Cade, she had no training in this. While investigating, he spoke softly.

"You've been so lonely," he murmured as he searched for what he needed. "So afraid to leave." A thin smile creeped across his face. "You care for your friends, one in particular. You're trying to imagine him now in order to keep me out…"

Tears were streaming down her face from the effort she was making to withstand him. Increasingly desperate, she tried to force him out. She wanted to strike out, but her body would not let her.

"And Han Solo," Ren continued relentlessly. "He feels like the father you never had. Let it go. I can tell you, he would have disappointed you."

All the rage and terror bottled up inside her came out as she turned to meet his stare.

"Get- out- of- my- head."

It only made him lean in closer. "Don't be afraid, Rey. You've seen the map. Show it to me." She continued to defy him. He narrowed his gaze and focus, locking eyes with her. She should have looked away, but did not flinch from him.

 _Ah_ , he thought to himself. _Something of interest_. Shielding the map from his mind's eye. He shifted his perception toward it, seeking to identify what it was…

The barrier he encountered stopped him cold. It was he who blinked. This made no sense. He pushed harder, but the probe went nowhere.

A look of amazement replaced the fear on Rey's face as she discovered herself inside _his_ mind. She found herself drawn to something within…

"You," she heard herself clearly saying, "You're _afraid_. That you will never be _as strong_ as Darth Vader!"

His hand pulled away from her sharply as if her skin had suddenly turned white-hot. Confused and rattled, he stumbled away from her. She gazed at him and realized something in him had changed. He moved to leave, forgetting his helmet in the process. The door locked shut behind him. She was free to roam about the cell, which she did. She had no idea what had just happened. But she was going to use this as an opportunity to find a way to escape.

In the corridor, a stunned Ren found that he was breathing hard. That was unsettling. He did not know what had happened in the holding cell and was uncertain with how to proceed. He turned a corner and came face-to-face with a trooper.

The trooper halted, clearly discomforted by the fact that his masked superior was wearing no mask. "Sir! The Supreme Leader has requested your presence."

Ren nodded and headed off in the necessary direction, leaving the trooper to guard the holding cell.

* * *

The briefing room in the command building on D'Qar was a crowded place to be. The surviving leaders of the Republic High Command, as well as Leia, were standing at the center of the small amphitheater. Seats for observers and other personnel were situated around them. Han, Cade, Finn, and Poe were in such seats. A holoprojector occupied the center of the room.

Vice-Admiral Statura was the one giving the briefing. "The scan data from Captain Wexley's reconnaissance flight confirms everything Finn has told," he announced to the assembled group.

Wexley rose and spoke up. "They've built a new kind of hyperspace weapon within the planet itself. Something that can fire across interstellar distances in the equivalent of real time. They call it Starkiller Base." His expression changed and showed his incredulity. "I've had my share of technical training, but I can't even imagine how that's possible."

This time, Finn responded. "I can't, either. But those of us assigned to the base heard rumors that it doesn't operate in what we'd call normal hyperspace. It fires through a hole in the continuum that it makes itself. Everybody was calling it 'sub'-hyperspace. That's how it can arrive in moments across a distance like that between the base and the Hosnian system. The amount of energy required to do that is…" His voice dropped. "Well, we've seen how much energy is involved."

Statura chimed back in. "We're not sure how to describe a weapon of this scale. Our people have come up with some rough ideas regarding the rapid overheating and subsequent implosion of a planetary core, but the mechanism to induce that so far escapes them."

Ackbar gestured at the model rendered in the holoprojector. "It's another Death Star!"

Statura's expression tightened. "I wish that were the case, sir. In analyzing everything Finn has told us and coupling that with the information we have been able to gather, this is what we are facing." He waved a hand over a nearby control. An image of the Death Star appeared beside Starkiller Base. It was dwarfed by the dangerous new weapon, looking like a tiny speck of dust. "And it has a planetary shield guarding the base itself."

Leia stared at the invidious imagery. If not for the harsh fact that tens of millions of deaths were involved, the side-by-side comparisons would have been laughable. Once more, memories of the destruction of Alderaan flooded back and once more she had to force them aside. "How can they power a weapon of such magnitude?"

Everyone in the room looked towards Finn again. Unsure of himself, he hesitated. He was no scientist. He was reluctant to share what he believed was hearsay. Sensing his hesitation, Leia was quick to prompt him. "Finn, please speak up."

Cade nodded in agreement and encouraged his friend to continue. "When I was assigned there, I was rotated to multiple locations around the planet. The weapon's system is situated on both sides of the planet. It runs through the planetary core.

Murmurs of disbelief rose from those gathered around the holoprojector.

"As near as I understand it," Finn continued, "enormous arrays of specially designed collectors use the power of a nearby sun to attract and send dark energy to a containment unit at the core of the planet, where it is stored and used when the weapon is fired."

"Impossible," Ackbar insisted. "Although we know there is more dark energy in the universe than anything else, it is so diffuse that it can barely be detected. Let alone concentrated in large volumes."

Finn persisted, despite the discomfort he felt at disagreeing with someone of Ackbar's rank and experience. "It can be, and it is," he responded with certainty.

Statura, at least, seemed ready to believe. He was the ranking science officer in the Outer Rim, after all. "If the engineering could be worked out," he observed, "one would have access to an almost literally infinite source of energy."

Finn nodded. "General Hux said the design was ancient, updated with the Death Star tech in a speech to the troopers once. He said it's the most powerful weapon ever built." He shook his head, which was starting to hurt from the effort of trying to explain what he had not fully understood.

Han Solo understood, all right. Understood what had to be done.

"Okay, so it's impossible and it's big. How do we blow it up?"

The attention in the room shifted to him. His expression was knowing. "I don't care how big it is; there's always a way to do that."

Having cut through the science, he waited for suggestions. None were forthcoming.

"We have to wait until the technical staff have run their detailed analysis," Statura said. "Then, once they've done that..."

Leia cut him off. Han grinned, but not so she could see it. She was good at cutting people off, he knew.

"We don't have time to wait on analysis. Han's right. We have to act, and act now." He eyed her in surprise and concealed that reaction, too.

This was when General Yelco, commander-in-chief for Starfighter Command, spoke up. She had been one of the only surviving members of the Republic High Command, besides General Ematt, Admiral Ackbar, and General Madine, who was present at the briefing. "I agree with you, General. But none of us has the authority to issue an attack of this magnitude." Her red Duro eyes locked with Leia's as she said this. "The Senate are the only ones who can order an attack in this circumstance."

Leia's frustration did not show in her response. "Yes, but we have to assume that the leadership is completely incapacitated. It's left up to us now to carry through with these plans."

General Ematt decided to provide his expertise on the matter as well. "I agree with General Yelco. We cannot abandon our system simply because there is a crisis. While I agree it should be dealt with, none of us have that authority." He gestured to Leia and Ackbar. "We fought a war together fighting for those ideals, remember?"

Leia groaned at this. She realized the importance of ideals, but wanted to get straight to the problem instead of jumping through bureaucratic hoops to get there.

For a moment, the briefing room was silent, with no one sure of what to do or say next. The attack needed to happen, but no one had the authority to issue it. That is until Ackbar decided to break the silence with a bombshell no one had thought of mentioning.

"We could invoke Article 77," he stated for the entire room to hear.

The entire room broke out into intense debate. Finn adopted a look of confusion on his face and begin looking for answers. Cade leaned over to him and explained. "It's an article from the Old Republic. The Outer Rim Congress wanted it removed from the Constitution after the Armistice with the Empire, but the Core Worlds wouldn't join if it wasn't included."

"Why's it such a big deal?"

Cade gestured at Ackbar and Yelco. "Those are the only two non-humans to ever serve on the High Command. Ever. In case something would ever happen to the Senate, they would take over and appoint an interim chancellor. The Outer Rim worlds don't like it because they feel it gives too much power to the Core Worlds, who are predominantly human." Finn nodded in simple understanding.

The conversations in the room quickly died out when Ematt held up his hand, indicating he wanted to speak. "While I do not like the implications of such an act, it is our only course of action."

Each of the members looked to one another to see who would speak first. It was expected to be Ematt or Madine who would nominate themselves for the position. It was surprisingly Yelco who broke the silence and offered a nominee instead. "I nominate General Organa to serve as interim-chancellor."

The room burst into a flurry of heated arguments over who should take control of the Republic in this time of crisis. Cade observed his aunt standing firm against all of the criticism she was facing.

"She was censured by the Senate for a reason!" said one Ishi Tib vice-admiral.

"We cannot have the daughter of Darth Vader as our leader!" said a Qualish infantry officer. "It goes against everything we have fought so hard to protect!"

Eventually, the noise faded as Ackbar got everyone's attention. "Please! We must be able to discuss this," He pointed his finned hand at Yelco. "Please continue, General."

"As I was saying, I believe General Organa is the most qualified person to lead the Republic during this crisis."

Even though they fought against the Empire together, Madine was not convinced. "Why do you think this? When the provision was put into place, it was intended for a member of the High Command to take leadership. Not an outsider."

"The four of us would have never settled on a candidate. I think we can all agree this is the best choice." She spoke softly and with compassion, unusual for her species. "She's fought against the Empire and now the First Order, whom we all thought was a fringe terrorist group days ago. She's proven herself time and again to be a reliable and steadfast leader. There's not a more qualified individual in the entire galaxy to handle what we're up against. She is the right choice."

Ackbar spoke up from across the projector, surprising no one with his choice. "I concur."

Ematt hesitated, but finally made a decision. "Until the Senate can be reconvened, she's our best option."

Knowing that he would be outnumbered in this, Madine caved. Although they had fought on the same side once, he was still cautious. "While she may be the daughter of one of the most tyrannical men to have ever ruled the galaxy, she is clearly not her father. I agree."

The four of them looked to Leia at this. "Well?" Ackbar asked. "Do you accept your nomination, General?"

Leia hesitated, unsure of this sudden decision. "I do not want this power, but I will accept it until the Senate has been reconvened." The rest of the room grew silent with this remark at first, then broke out in applause for Leia. Once it had died down, the senior officers offered her the floor. "Vice-Admiral Statura," She got right back to business. Cade smiled, knowing it was the right choice. "If we were to make an attack on this weapon, how would we best proceed?"

He changed his position around the holoprojector, moving closer to manipulate the field. "I can't prove this, but for this amount of power to be restrained, it has to have some type of advanced containment field." He nodded towards Finn. "Our friend here confirms as much. The question is: What kind of field?"

"I heard that it involved the planet's own magnetic field," Finn told him, "and something more."

"Yes, yes." Statura was deep in thought. "A planetary field, even a strong one, could not contain this much energy for long. It would have to be combined with some type of oscillating device."

Finn leaned into the holographic map and manipulated it to a specific portion of the base. "I think this is what you're talking about."

His excitement bursting, Statura grinned. "Yes, now if we can destroy that, it will render the weapon unstable, resulting in a destruction of the weapon, maybe even the entire planet itself.

"None of this is possible," a downcast Ackbar postulated, "if we don't first take down the planetary shield first." He gestured to the ships identified from the scouting flight. "Our fleets were roughly the same size, but now that Central Command has been destroyed, they outnumber us two-to-one."

Raising a hand for attention, Leia held up the readout. "According to this, we don't have the time. Our team has detected an enormous quantity of dark energy surging toward the world Finn has identified for us. That can only mean one thing." She paused for emphasis. "They're loading the weapon again. I think we can all take a good guess as to what their next target will be."

Seeing the downcast expressions of those around, Poe pointed to the containment control structure. "They may raise their shields, but if we can find a way past them, we can and will hit that oscillator with everything we've got.

Ackbar remained strategic as ever, thinking about the long game. "If we manage to take down their shields, Black Squadron can attempt to knock out the oscillator, while the rest of the fleet engages those Star Destroyers. But we must first find a way through the planetary shields."

Han was not so easily discouraged. "Okay, so we disable the shields first." He turned to Finn. "Kid, you worked there. Whatcha got?"

Finn's eyes slowly widened as he thought back. "I can do it. They have a shield recycle every seven seconds. If we can find a way there, I can shut down their shields. I know where the relevant controls are located." Realization dampened some of his initial enthusiasm. "But I need to be there, of course. On the planet."

"I'll get you there."

Cade jumped to his feet. "I'm going with you." His look towards the rest of the group was severe with determination. He was going on this mission.

Gazing at Han, Leia saw something that had been absent from her life for a long, long time: Solo bravado. "Han, _how?"_

He grinned broadly at her. She had missed that too, she realized.

"If I told you, you wouldn't like it."

Leia quickly resumed control over the briefing. "Admiral, ready our forces. The Republic is going to war."

"Right away, chancellor."

As everyone left the briefing room, Leia was filled with both renewed purpose and dread. She just hoped this mission didn't cost the Republic everything it had left.


	15. Chapter 15

In the vast, darkened assembly chamber of Starkiller Base were only two figures: one tall and uncertain, the other looming and imperious. For all their isolation, they seemed to fill the room.

There was as much curiosity in Supreme Leader Snoke's voice as there was disappointment. "This scavenger- this girl- resisted _you_?"

"That's all she is, yes. A scavenger from in inconsequential world. Completely untrained, but strong with the Force. Stronger than she knows." His mask off, Ren replied with what seemed to be his usual assurance. No one else would have sensed a difference. Snoke did.

The Supreme Leader's voice was flat. "You have compassion for her."

"No, never. Compassion? For an enemy of the Order?"

"I am beginning to perceive a problem with you," Snoke intoned. "First your failure to eliminate your cousin. Now her. It isn't her strength that is making you fail. _It's your weakness!_ " He voice boomed throughout the chamber. "Where is the droid?"

Smooth and unctuous, the voice of General Hux rang out in the assembly hall before Ren could respond. "Ren believed it was no longer of value to us." Turning, the quietly livid younger man followed the approach of the increasingly confident officer. He dropped his head in order to hide his unmasked self.

"He believed that the girl was all we need. That he could obtain from her everything necessary. As a result, we have nothing. The droid must have surely been returned to the hands of the enemy by now."

Though visibly angry, Snoke's tone remained unchanged. "Have we located where the Republic is massing its remaining forces?"

Hux was clearly gratified to be the bearer of good news. "Their forces are still scattered throughout the galaxy. The largest concentration is gathering in the Ileenium system. We are coordinating with our reconnaissance craft in the area to locate the specific location of their base."

Snoke replied with cold satisfaction. "We do not need it. Prepare the weapon. Destroy the system."

Collected and composed as he was, Hux was not immune to surprise. "The system? Supreme Leader, at least two habitable worlds circle Illenium. Following the destruction of the Hosnian worlds, would it not be worthwhile to destroy their fleet, then take the base as our own? We could use it as a springboard for operations closer to the Core."

Snoke ignored his plea. "We cannot wait any longer. Moments pass by, and our enemy grows stronger. We cannot delay. If they happen to find Skywalker, he could return to challenge us with new Jedi. It is not a risk I am willing to take. Once the weapon is fully charged, I want the entire system destroyed."

Daring to disagree, Ren took a step forward. "No- Supreme Leader, I can get the map from the girl. I just need your guidance."

"And you promised me when it came to killing the younger Skywalker, _you wouldn't fail me_!" The threatening figure of Snoke stood up and leaned towards Ren. "Who knows if copies of the map have already been made and sent out of the system? If what the general says is true, their surviving leadership is gathered there. With their annihilation and no one pursuing Skywalker, we will be able to take control of the galaxy with ease." He sat back. "That is why I would order the destruction of the system." He turned to Hux.

"General, prepare the weapon. With the same efficiency you have already demonstrated."

"Yes, Supreme Leader!"

Buoyed by praise, Hux turned and strode quickly out of the hall. That left Snoke to fix his eyes on its sole remaining occupant.

Ren felt as if the Surpreme Leader was burning a hole in his very being with his stare. " _Bring the girl to me_."

* * *

Slightly apart from the rush of activity that filled the Republic base, an unlikely pair was going through the stages of performing a final checkout on an old by deceptively fast freighter. Chewbacca and Finn moved quickly to comply with Han's orders.

"Chewie, check the horizontal booster." A growling response provoked an equally terse one from the _Millennium Falcon's_ owner. "I don't care what the onboard readouts say: There's no substitute for a final visual inspection. You know that. Finn, see how much you can grease that landing strut."

Cade walked up to the _Falcon_ , carrying an old A-280 CFE sniper rifle and a bag of explosives. He set down his load outside the ramp of the ship. Han issued him orders as well. "Cade, see if you can talk to your X-wing buddy about getting us a backup thermal regulator."

"Aye, aye, captain." He gave his uncle a mock salute and jogged off to find Poe.

"Finn, load these up. And be careful. They're explosives."

Halting, Finn gaped at the bag he was carrying. "They are?" He faltered. "Why didn't you tell me?"

The older man smiled. "Didn't want to make you nervous." Han turned to see Leia approaching.

"No matter how much we fought," she said, "I always hated watching you leave."

He grinned. "That's why I left. To make you miss me."

For the first time in a while, she laughed freely. It was infectious, happy, and these days, all too rare. "Well, thank you for that."

He turned reflective. "It wasn't all bad, was it? I know we argued a lot." He smiled affectionately. "Maybe because we both have such shy, retiring personalities. Of course, if you'd only done what I said…"

"And you'd only done what I asked," she riposted, still smiling.

He chuckled softly. "I mean, most of it was good."

"Pretty good," she agreed, nodding.

"Some things never change."

"Yep." She glanced downward, remembering, then met his gaze once more. "You still drive me crazy."

He put his hands on her shoulders, and just like that, thirty years fell away in an instant. "Leia, there's something I've been wanting to say to you for a long time."

Fighting back tears, she put a finger to his lips. "Tell me when you get back."

He started to object, then caught himself. There had been too much arguing over the years and he might really not come back. The last thing he wanted was to part on even a semblance of a spat. Instead, he took her into his arms, which really was much better than arguing, or even talking. They stood like that for a long moment, holding each other tightly.

"If you see our son," Leia whispered, "bring him home."

He nodded without speaking. If nothing else in the last thirty years, he had learned when to be quiet.

Their embrace had to be cut short, as Cade returned, carrying the backup thermal regulator, and handing it over to Chewbacca.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt," he said as he walked by his aunt and uncle.

Leia looked at Cade with sincerity. "Don't you have something you want to talk about?" Cade shook his head no, but Leia continued looking at him. "Something that happened…?"

Cade realized what she was referring to and decided to put it off until later. "We'll talk when we get back," as he smiled his boyish smile.

Leia admitted defeat for the time being. Chewbacca finished the visual inspection, then went up the ramp to warm up the ship. The two men began to board the ship when Leia called out to them. "May the Force be With You." They both nodded and smiled. She watched as the ship lifted off and climbed the atmosphere. Tucking her emotions away, she walked back to the command center, giving orders along the way.

* * *

How was she going to break out of this place?

Having observed the entire cell nearly a dozen times over, Rey was beginning to run out of ideas on how to escape. The door would not budge, as it was locked from the outside. There were no windows of any kind. She had tapped on the walls to see if there was a weak panel anywhere, but to no avail.

She was about to give up hope when realization dawned on her. The ventilation system!

If First Order architecture was anything like the old Empire, they had large air ducts in the cells. She knew exactly where to look. She went to the back of the cell and looked directly upwards. Sure enough, there was a ventilation shaft large enough for her to crawl through. The only problem was getting it open.

She observed the grate covering it was bolted to the shaft itself. Looking around for something to use, she found nothing. She was unable to rip anything off the interrogation chair in the middle of the cell. Even if she would be able, someone from outside the cell would surely hear her and put an end to her escape plan. She had to think.

And then it hit her. She could use the Force.

If she was able to resist someone as powerful as Kylo Ren and peer into his mind, what else was she capable of? She was planning on finding out.

She moved back over to the shaft and closed her eyes. She reached out with both of her hands and imagined the bolts falling to the floor. After a considerable amount of time had passed, she opened her eyes to see her results.

The covering was still intact.

She decided she would just have to try harder. She cleared her mind of everything else. She again imagined the bolts falling to the floor by the use of invisible mechanisms. She saw in her mind the rest of the ventilation system. Where it lead. How it could help her escape.

She was about to give up hope when she felt a sudden breeze. Looking up, the covering had been removed, dangling from the ceiling. She climbed on top of the interrogation chair and into the vents. She only had to make it to an empty corridor, sneak her way past some guards, find a ship, and blast out of what was most likely a heavily guarded base. _Super easy_ , she thought to herself cynically.

* * *

Normally there was something relaxing about traveling in hyperspace, Finn mused. There was not fighting and rarely any kind of surprise. It allowed time for reflection, casual conversation and preparing equipment.

Not this time. Not in the course of this jump.

Cade and Finn were playing a friendly game of holochess to pass the time, but neither of them were truly invested in the game.

"What's taking so long?" asked a weary and nervous Finn.

"We'll be there soon," answered Cade, who externally was calm and collected. But internally, he was experiencing a storm of feelings regarding this mission.

His internal feelings soon became his external approach. "Yanno, on second thought, let's see how far out we are. Just to check."

Finn nodded in agreement. "Just to check."

The two of them left the longue and moved forward into the cockpit. There they found Han and Chewbacca, monitoring the journey.

Han acknowledged the younger men and nodded for them to sit down. "We're coming up on the base in a few moments."

"Well that's good to hear," said Cade with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"I haven't asked you," Finn said to Han. "How are we getting in? Hijacking a cargo vessel? Dressing up like troopers?" He indicated towards Chewie. "He's a bit tall and furry to be a Stormtrooper."

Chewbacca growled at Finn, but Han ignored it. "Remember how you said the shield has a refresh rate of a couple seconds?"

"Yeah, but that was relating to docking procedures for vessels orbiting the planet. They hover just outside the shield perimeter, then hit their thrusters to make it in time."

"I didn't want to say anything at the briefing kid, but that's not how it works. It's a lot less time than that. They have a small section of the shield that's always open to let ships in and out. Otherwise, their system would be compromised. It keeps anything traveling slower than lightspeed out. Makes defense that much easier."

Finn, visibly confused, was waiting for the punchline to a joke he obviously wasn't getting. "Okay, so we're going to hide underneath a transport? What's the plan?"

Han looked to Chewie, then back to Cade and Finn. "No. We're going right through the shields."

"How?"

'Easy." The way Han said it made it sound like the easiest thing in the entire galaxy. "We won't be going slower than lightspeed."

Unsure if his uncle was going crazy, Cade gaped at him. 'We're gonna make our landing approach at lightspeed? Nobody's ever done that!"

Han winked at him. "That's why you're going to help us."

Dumbfounded, he stared at him. "Me?"

Han smiled pleasantly. "Yes, you. From what your father told me, Jedi and Force-users can see things before they happen, making you have a faster reaction time." He indicated for Chewie to move and the Wookiee stood up, offering the seat to Cade. Clearly the two of them already had this discussion. "Pull us out of lightspeed after we clear the shields but before we smash into the planet."

He stared at his uncle for a while, wondering if he was actually serious. When he realized he was, he didn't know what to say. "I'm not sure if I can do that."

"Well kid, it's now or never. If it's any help, I know you can do it. It's why I offered to bring Finn here." He grinned in typical Han Solo fashion. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist coming along to help."

Cade looked at Han, then back at Finn and Chewie. They weren't helping him any, so he made a split-second decision. "What the hell, if we die, at least no one will know how stupid we were."

A red light started flashing, indicating they had to pull out of hyperspace now if they didn't want to slam into the planet. Cade closed his eyes, his hand hovering over the lever to pull them out of hyperspace. "When I say now, pull up on the controls as hard as you can."

"On your mark."

Cade breathed calmly, trying to concentrate on the one thing that mattered. The only thing that mattered. It was a literal life or death situation. A claxxon began sounding throughout the cockpit, as the ship knew this was something against it's nature. The rest of the cabin got silent.

Suddenly, Cade screamed. " _NOW!_ " He pulled back the lever as Han pulled up on the controls of the _Falcon_.

And just like that, they were inside the shields.

But barreling straight toward a mountain range at extremely fast speeds. Chewbacca howled loudly from his seat behind Han.

" _I am pulling up_!" He yelled as he fought with the controls.

They were able to just pass over the tip of the mountains, but Han sent them into a nose-dive that forced the occupants of the cockpit to the limit, even with the safety harnesses.

" _What are you doing, are you crazy?_ " Cade shouted at the top of his lungs.

" _Any higher and they'll see us!_ " Han responded. They could only hope the First Order had no ground scanning satellites. Han tried to level off, but failed. They skirted the top of a nearby forest, rocking the ship hard. They continued to slow, but in the end, it was the forest they braked them as hundreds of trees splintered around them. Han decided to take it directly into the ground. Thankfully, he steered the ship towards white snow beneath them, softening their descent drastically. The _Falcon_ finally eased to a stop, half-buried in the snow.

On the surface, all was cold and quiet again. Inside the ship was a different story.  
"Everyone all right?" asked the pilot. Everyone nodded.

Cade, still in shock they made it, was silent for a moment. Then he hit his uncle in the arm a few times in quick succession. "Never. Do that. Again."

* * *

Ren struggled to control himself. A great deal of his education had been devoted to learning how to live and move forward without allowing emotions to take control. The dark side training was counter to this notion. He needed every bit of his former training to stay calm. As bad as had been the girl's expulsion of his probing, worse yet was the knowledge she had acquired. It made him feel weak, powerless, and unable to do anything. He would not allow this.

Becoming aware that an officer was waiting patiently for him to acknowledge his presence, Ren waved the man forward. Yet the officer said nothing.

"What is it, captain?"

"Sir," he looked visibly frightened. "The girl has escaped. The alarm for her cell did not go off. We are just now alerting the base."

Ren said nothing. Instead, he strode off to see the cell for himself. The officer stood there for a while before returning to his post himself, afraid for what his superior might do to those he deemed responsible for this failure.

Within the command bridge on _Home One_ , conversation was muted. Techs and low ranking officers spoke in whispers, if at all, as everyone waited for word. When it came, no one said "if", then talk would resume as normal. But for now, no one dared voice what they were thinking. What they feared most.

Confirmation would come via a series of hastily linked encrypted hyperspace relays. It would be condensed, in order to reduce the chance of it being intercepted. As more and more time passed, initial hope began to flag.

Then Admiral Statura broke the tension, looking up from the console to smile at Leia. "The _Falcon_ has landed, ma'am."

Ackbar had tried desperately to convince her it was a horrible idea to come along with this attack. But like Mon Mothma, Leia believed she needed to take the same risks as the troops she was ordering into battle. This was where she was needed.

Moving to his side, Leia looked at his readouts. "I wish there was more information. Something more to go off." She stopped herself. "Tell me they'll get the shields down in time."

Ackbar joined her and placed a webbed-hand on her shoulder. His reply was firm. "They'll get the shields down."

"That was only marginally convincing," she told him.

He smiled at her. "That seems to be the only thing we have ever operated on."

She nodded at him. "Order the attack, admiral."

"Of course!" He spun and took a seat in the commander's chair. "All craft, this is Home Leader. Prepare the jump to hyperspace."

On the issuing of his orders, three heavy cruisers and two dozen other frigates and small craft ignited their own ion drives to blast out of the system.

General Yelco was back on D'Qar in the command blister. Her voice came in over the battle holo network. "All fighters, you are clear for takeoff. Blue team, red team. You are clear. Go, go, go."

Having been standing by and waiting for the word, the two squadrons joined the three others already orbiting outside the admiral's flagship. Leia watched as they buzzed the bridge, their engines igniting the way for the rest of the fleet to follow.

In the lead was an X-wing marked with distinctive black patterns. Poe was intent on the instrumentation, while BB-8 attended to matters better left to the mechanical. Behind them, the surface of D'Qar fell away rapidly as they approached the outer limits of the planet's gravitational pull.

"All squadrons, this is Black Leader," Poe said to the cockpit's omnipickup. "Altitude confirmed. Coordinates set. Waiting on your go, Admiral."

When he was confident all was in readiness, Ackbar gave the signal. Like flames going out, one ship after another vanished from the present reality in a streak of light into the darkness of space.

* * *

As Kylo Ren strode down the corridor where walls of exposed igneous rock alternated with panels and consoles of metal, his emotions were boiling. His present mental state contradicted all his training, but he could not help himself. He had reacted poorly to what had happened earlier, and that had been reflected in the Supreme Leader's judgment. To add to that discomfort, that slimy sycophant Hux always appeared at the most awkward of moments.

He gritted his teeth. It was a measure of weakness that he would be affected by jealousy, especially from a simpleton like Hux. It was nothing but a waste of physical energy and mental concentration. He was not worthy of such attention.

The girl was, however.

Entering the holding cell, he found it as he had expected: deserted. In the center, the single coppery-hued, angled bench stood empty. Looking above, he found the grate to the ventilation system removed, the red light in the cell mocking him. Unable to contain himself any longer, he pulled out his lightsaber, thumbed it to life, and launched into a series of wild swings and strikes, methodically reducing the room to rubble.

Hearing howls of rage, two Stormtroopers crossing at the far end of the hallway changed course to investigate. Upon seeing the cell being torn to bits, they retreated as fast as they had come into a nearby hallway.


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Note:

Man, am I excited! I finally get to write the big battle for this story and I'm really looking forward to sharing the rest with you guys soon. I'd like to have the next chapter posted by the 19th, so check back then for the next installment! Thanks everyone for your continued support, it means a lot.

May the Force be With You!

-Vikesman100

* * *

Thanks to the snow and the heavy forest cover, the patrol squad did not see them. It also helped that Chewbacca carried a heat distorter in his pouch in order to mask their thermal signatures. From time to time, Cade had taken the more primitive approach of using a branch to wipe out their footprints as they advanced. Where they could, they kept to rock surfaces, to better to minimize evidence of their passage. Slung across the Wookiee's back was a duffel packed with the advanced dentons whose potential greatly exceeded their size.

Lengthening his stride to catch up to the taller man, Finn moved up alongside Han and pointed. "There's a flood tunnel over that ridge. We can get in that way."

Han looked over at him. "You sure it isn't safety screened? We can cut through ordinary stuff but…"

Finn shook his head. "There's no screen at all. It would defeat the purpose of the tunnel."

Cade moved up beside them and mounted his sniper rifle on a nearby boulder. "We're all clear, we have a clean shot to the tunnel." He turned around to look at Finn. "You know, you never told us what you did here."

Finn looked away as he replied. "Sanitation."

Han gaped at him, grabbing his collar and pinning him against a nearby sensor outpost. " _Sanitation_? How do you know how to take down the shields? Chewie and I have enough to take this place down, but we have to know where to plant this stuff. We've only got one chance kid." He let go of Finn and took a step back.

Finn decided to be honest with the group. "I don't know how to take out the shields, Han," Finn admitted. "I'm here to get Rey."

Cade stopped looking down his sniper scope long enough to be dumbfounded by his friend's comments. "You don't think I want to save her too?" He moved up to Finn and gave him a look of irritation. "People are counting on us. The _galaxy_ is counting on us!"

"Look," Finn shot back, "we'll figure it out. We got here, didn't we?"

"Oh yeah?" asked Cade, impatiently wanting to hear the answer. "How?

Finn smiled encouragingly. "We'll use the Force!"

Cade was shocked to hear this, so shocked in fact, he just stood there in silence. Han answered for him.  
"Kid, that's not how the Force works!" he said in obvious frustration and desperation. "Even I know that!"

Finn wasn't sure what to answer to that. "If you don't want me here, I can go back to the ship and wait."

Visibly frustrated, Cade expressed himself in an uncommon way. "Oh no you don't. I can't believe I trusted you with something like this. You're a coward!"

Finn responded in kind. "You know, I didn't have to rescue you from that cell."

"Yeah, you could have just ran away all on your own, couldn't you?"

Han noticed the two younger men were visibly angered with one another. Before their argument could break out in fisticuffs, he intervened. "Okay new plan." He put a hand to each of their chests to allow them time to cool down. "We infiltrate the base, plant the explosives, then see if we can find Rey." They said nothing. "Alright?"

They both nodded, still clearly angry with one another but able to put it away for the time being. Chewie growled at Han, hoping to ease some of the tension.

"Oh really? _You're_ cold?"

* * *

Red borders flanked the ventilation system that ran the length of the walls as Rey crawled her way through. While taller than average, she was used to squeezing into tight spaces. She paused a moment so as to not arouse suspicion from a squad of patrolling troopers. The base had been put on high alert, no doubt due to her escape. And she had no plans on being captured. Again.

She watched as the squad passed by without even stopping to observe their surroundings. She breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, she was able to resume her escape. She made her way past a control grid when suddenly, the system stopped. The only way forward was down. She made a quick around her, then dropped to the floor with the lightest of thuds. A long walkway flanked her on one side. Not sure where it led, her instincts told her to follow it.

She quickly emerged from the walkway to observe through a window a giant hangar almost three levels down from her present location. TIE fighters and shuttles lined the walls of the massive hangar. The only problem was getting there.

Her planning would be interrupted, as she had to dive for cover with the sound of approaching footsteps. A group of officers chatting about what this commotion was all about passed by her without offering her a glance. She had to find a way to get to that hangar.

Locating a nearby security console, she looked at the heads-up-display to find her present location. She was nearly five floors away and would have to double back towards the detention center, which would be heavily guarded. She would just have to sneak her way there, no matter how long it took.

 _One step at a time_ , she told herself.

* * *

The Stormtrooper who waited for the doorway to open expected to see an empty transport compartment. Instead, he found himself staring at three humans and one Wookiee, none of whom were inclined to engage him in casual conversation. Sensing this, the trooper reacted quickly and reached for his blaster. Han Solo was quicker. As Chewbacca dragged the trooper out of sight, Cade and Han peered warily around the corridor's first corner.

"The less time spent here," Han quickly decided, "the better luck we're going to have. In fact, the less time we linger anywhere, the better luck we're gonna have." He looked to the younger men. "Any ideas?"

Thinking quickly, Finn responded. "Yeah, I know of one." Checking the corridor outside the transport compartment, he gestured to his right. "Follow me." He started off, and the others followed.

With Finn leading the way, the group managed to make it a considerable distance into the base with no resistance. Eventually, Finn spotted a figure that made his eyes grow wide. The advancing officer's armor was highly reflective and the black, red-fringed cape that hung down the left side was very, very distinctive.

"Here comes our key." Finn whispered.

Cade took note of the oncoming figure, then glanced at Finn. "You know this one?"

Finn's expression was tight. "Yeah, we've met."

Reading the man's tone, Han nodded understandingly. "An old friend, huh?"

"Something like that." Finn's expression didn't change. He started to fumble with his blaster. "I'm not real familiar with this model. Is there a setting for stun."

Cade and Chewie exchanged looks, the spy grinning. "I think we have something much better than stun."

Far down the corridor a squad of troopers came into view and the intruders tensed. But the troopers did not turn to follow the advancing officer, marching off instead down a separate passage. Preoccupied with other matters, the officer failed to see the hairy mountain that plowed into her until it was too late. His massive arms wrapped around her, Chewbacca dragged his captive into the narrow cross corridor where his companions were waiting. As she struggled in the unbreakable grasp, she found herself turned around to confront a blaster pointed directly at her face.

An unsmiling Finn had to restrain the finger that was resting on the weapon's trigger.

"Captain Phasma. Remember me?" He moved his weapon slightly. "Here's my blaster, ya still wanna inspect it?"

Phasma held on to her dignity. "Yes, I remember you. FN-2187."

Finn shook his head curtly. "Not anymore. My name is Finn. A _real_ name for a _real person_. And I'm in charge now. _I'm_ in charge Phasma."

From behind the former trooper, Cade whispered. "Easy, we need her alive to get us past the shields." Finn nodded and Cade continued, speaking to Phasma. "We're just visiting. Finn here is giving us a quick tour, but we haven't seen the planetary shield control room yet." He broke out into a broad, pleasant smile. "We'd really like to see it before we leave."

"Now," said Finn menacingly. Cade gave his friend a concerned look. Phasma took note and would not budge.

She sniffed derisively. "Why should I show you anything?" Behind her, Chewbacca let out a threatening moan and tightened his grip. She let out a little gasp.

"Because if you don't," Han told her, "We'll eventually find out anyway. But you won't know that because you'll be dead." He nodded toward his copilot. "Chewie here doesn't like it when people threaten his friends."

She managed to shake her head slightly. "Even a Wookiee can't crush First Order armor." In response, Chewbacca tightened his grip further. Her mask emitted a slight but perceptible wheeze.

"Well," Han said nonchalantly, "there's one way to find out."

"Or," Finn added, pushing the muzzle of the blaster in a little tighter, "I can simply shoot you. I'm well trained, as you know."

"What are you up to here?" she countered. "Are you with the Republic now? Mercenaries?"

"Maybe we'll answer your questions later." Finn told her. Taking a step back, he allowed Chewie to disarm her. "Right now, you're our guide. Let's go."

They were able to avoid the few techs and troopers they encountered by ducking into concealing alcoves or small passageways. There was one guard stationed outside the room they had to enter. Stepping out into the open, Finn waved and smiled as he walked toward the man. Cade noticed he adopted an odd accent, sounding a little too much like Inner Core Imperials from the old holos he would watch as a kid.

"Hello! When are you off duty, mate?"

The trooper was barely able to register the sound before Finn hit him in the mid-section with the butt end of his blaster. He followed this up with a palm to the chin, knocking the trooper unconscious. Finn nodded for the rest of the group to follow. Phasma punched in her access code, albeit with some convincing from the Wookiee suffocating her. They dragged the unconscious trooper and their prisoner inside.

The shield control was massive. With everything functioning normally, there was no need for technicians to be on duty. The instruments monitored themselves. The issue was if they could not self-correct. If not, an alert would be issued to Central Command. A planetary shield was a fairly straightforward thing. There was hardly ever a problem with the system.

One such problem was about to be artificially introduced.

Taking a seat before the main console, Phasma paused. What was happening now made no logical sense. She decided to test her luck to the limit. "You can't be as stupid as to think I'll help you. You're nothing but a traitor to the Order. You are scum." She indicated towards his friends, speaking to them directly. "You have no doubt realized the trouble this one can cause. He's nothing but a coward."

With this accusation, Finn rushed up to Phasma and put the muzzle of his blaster to her helmet. He became incredibly intense, causing concern to rise within Cade. "You just gave me an excuse to do something I've always wanted."

Before he was able to get off the shot, Cade pulled him away, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him back. The shot glanced off a computer console. Phasma used this distraction to push away from her captor, grabbing his dropped blaster. Finn and Cade collapsed to the floor. Realizing the impending danger, Han and Chewie dove for nearby cover.

Phasma was able to put three shots into their cover before diving out of the opened blastdoor. Han and Chewie pursued, sending blaster bolts shrieking down the corridor. Running out of space and seeing as she had no other options, the head Stormtrooper blew a hole in a nearby garbage chute. She sprinted and dove into it, disappearing into the depths below.

Back in the shield room, Finn and Cade were wrestling with one another as Han and Chewie popped back in. Chewie grabbed both of them and separated the two arguing men. "That's enough!" Han shouted, as he sealed the door from outside entry. "What the Hell is the matter with you two?"

"He's not doing what needs to be done!" exclaimed Finn, rubbing his arm from where he hit the deck. "The First Order is nothing but a bunch mindless goons."

"What needs to be done?" responded Cade, astounded. "She was our only lead to shutting down those shields! The fleet is going to be here any moment. They're counting on us." He shook his head. "You're one to talk about being a goon. I should expect as much from a Stormtrooper."

Finn's nostrils flared, but Han held up a finger. "Don't," he looked at both men. "You need to get over yourselves." He holstered his blaster. "We need to complete the mission. They're no doubt alerted to us by now. Find a way to shut down the shields, get the girl, then blast off this rock before it blows. Work with each other until then. Okay?" When both younger men said nothing, he repeated himself again, like a parent disciplining his unruly children. " _Okay?_ "

The two men nodded, not wanting to look at one another. "Good," said a relieved Han. "Now let's find a way to shut this thing down." He approached the console and pondered it for a moment. Then he started to push buttons at random.

Clearly confused, Cade questioned his actions. "What are you doing? That'll never work."

Just then, the planetary shield display appeared on the screen before them. Han pressed the deactivate button. The shields were powering down. He looked at his nephew. "You were saying?"

"I swear, you have the best luck in the galaxy."

Chewie quickly placed a timed explosive on the console. "Yeah, let's hope it doesn't run out," Han said, as he punched the controls for the blast door and exited the control room. "C'mon, let's find the girl and get outta here." The others followed suit as they made their way to a security computer, hoping it would help in finding their friend.

* * *

The warning alert that appeared on the console in the Central Command control room was new to the monitoring technician. Though to the best of his knowledge it had never come to life previously, he knew perfectly well what it meant. After a quick check to make certain it was neither a system fault nor a test, he felt confident in announcing its activation to those officers who were present.

"Main planetary shields have gone out. Not localized; right across the board."

The officer who happened to be conversing with Hux narrowed his gaze. "General, did you authorize this? I certainly didn't, nor did any of my subordinates."

Hux turned to regard the alert. "No, I most certainly did not." He barked at the technician. "Cause? Possibly external?"

"It doesn't show here, sir," the tech replied.

"Sir!" barked a security officer. "Captain Phasma has just alerted all squads. We have enemies in the base! They've just detonated a controlled explosive in shield control!"

Hux was startled. "How did they slip through our defenses?"

"We have located a small craft about two kilometers from the base sir. It appears to have crashed."

"I don't bloody care what condition it's in," Hux snarled at his subordinates. "Re-route the controls to here and find the infiltrators!"

The tech paused. "Sir," he did not want to say what was about to come out of his mouth. "It will take considerable time before the shield controls are up and running. We will have to port them from auxiliary, which will dampen power elsewhere around the base…" he gulped. "Specifically, with the weapon, sir."

Hux became irritated but knew the risks. "It must be done. In the name of the Order, _hurry_."

"Yes, sir." The tech said, almost whispering. He and others ran to fix the problem. The command room became incredibly silent. Hux's thoughts, racing incredibly fast, began to betray him. He had to remain in control. Or else all would be lost.

* * *

In another command and control center on a cruiser speeding through hyperspace, a spontaneous outburst of excitement filled the air, followed by a hurried response.

"General," the head tech cried out, "their shields are down!"

Leia nodded and gave Ackbar the go-ahead. "It's now or never, Admiral."

Ackbar swiveled in his command chair, clearing his throat and speaking to the fleet. "All craft, prepare to disengage from hyperspace. Commander Dameron, you have full authorization to attack."

"Understood, Admiral! We're on our way!"

The fleet began to emerge from hyperspace. Through the bridge viewport, Leia observed a white world in front of them, guarded by nearly a dozen Star Destroyers. Less than what they originally thought, but still overpowering them two to one.

"Black Squadron, form up on me," said Poe, eagerly punching controls on his console. "We're going in hard and fast. Keep your foot on the throttle and don't let up!" he flipped a switch in his cockpit. "Lock S-foils in attack position!" He heard his squadron give the affirmative.

Poe and his squadron broke off from the main attack force and headed for the planet below. As for the rest of the formation, they were under the direct command of Admiral Ackbar, a veteran of the Galactic Civil War and one of the best tacticians the Republic has ever known.

The admiral cleared his throat again, his voice escaping him in his old age. "Liberty Group, engage the enemy in picket formation. Green Group, stay close to _Home One_. Rogue Squadron, engage enemy fighters."

"With pleasure," responded Commander Syal Antilles, commander of Rogue Squadron. "Alright Rogues, here's the plan: Finger formation, keep it tight. Our goal is to keep the enemy from the cruisers. Got it?" her voice was full of authority and confidence, typical from a fighter jockey. Especially from the one commanding Rogue Squadron, the famed X-wing formation from the days of the Rebel Alliance.

Ackbar overheard their confirmation through the battle network. The future of the Republic rested on his shoulders. He watched as his brave men and women accelerated to face down with an enemy that knew no mercy. It would be costly, but he knew they could emerge victorious. They had to win this fight. There was no other option.

* * *

Back on Starkiller Base, General Hux began shouting orders as proximity alarms rang throughout.

"How large is the fleet?" he demanded of one of his techs.

"Four heavy cruisers sir. Maybe two dozen other small craft including several fighter squadrons. Black and Rogue Squadrons among them."

Hux said nothing, but internally he knew this was a formidable force. "Dispatch two base squadrons to assist the orbital fleet. Order Admiral Kenney to engage the enemy. No quarter. I want them wiped from the stars. When this is over, I don't want to see a single Republic craft aloft."

"Yes, sir."

Hux continued to pace the command center, knowing full well the Republic would have a trick up their sleeve. He was waiting for one of his own.

* * *

Set down on the snowy surface, two TIE fighters and a troop transport flanked the battered, half-buried disc of the _Millennium Falcon_. That the ship's landing had been less than precise was plainly evident. Industrious troops were cautiously concluding their inspection of the ship's interior. One never knew when even a seemingly harmless freighter might be rigged to blow up in the face of an uninvited visitor. Eventually a noncom spoke into his comm unit.

"Ship's clear. No one on board. No traps of any kind." Startled by the sudden appearance of a tall, caped figure, the trooper stepped aside and came to attention. "Sir!"

Kylo Ren ignored him as he strode past, his eyes raking every corner of the crashed vessel. Upon hearing infiltrators had made their way onto the base, he had to see their vessel. He was not surprised to find the one he had practically grown up in waiting for him.

There was nothing in the deserted cockpit, but he delayed anyway, settling down in the pilot's seat. He sensed something, something he had not sensed in a long time…

His ruminations were interrupted by a thunderous roar as a squadron of black X-wings dropped from the sky, rocketing toward the hexagon-shaped bulk of the containment field and oscillation control system. Rising from his seat, he rushed out in time to see the Republic fighters drop toward the massive structure. And begin their bombing runs.

He patched himself into the command network. "General Hux," he said clearly.

"What is it, Ren?" he was clearly irritated. "Republic forces are here."

"They're attacking the weapon, General."

"How…" he trailed off as he noticed the carnage for himself. "I'll handle it Ren."

"Do that. I'm off to find the infiltrators."

Hux signed off the command channel without giving Ren a chance to respond. "Dispatch our remaining squadrons. Take out every attacking craft, no matter the cost."

"Yes, General," replied an officer.

"And engage seekers."

The officer hesitated. "In an atmospheric skirmish, sir, the seekers will have a hard time distinguishing between the enemy and our craft."

Hux didn't bat an eye. "This is no time to worry about collateral damage." His voice was steady. " _Give the order_."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

"Almost in range!"

As he sent his X-wing into a steep dive, Poe knew this attack could not be a failure. They simply did not have that option. The entire Republic was counting on him and those following him in. One way or another, this weapon had to be destroyed. Automatic weapons systems, trackers, and controls were all very well and good, but when it came down to it, this was an all-or-nothing fight that boiled down to one simple question: which group of pilots would be better today?

"Hit the target dead center as many times as possible with as many runs as we can get. _Let's light this place up_!"

As he let loose with the X-wing's full complement of armament, he noted that similar bursts of destructive fire came from Snap's vessel. Rebel Alliance veteran Nien Numb was there, too, with him and blasting away with the full force of his ship's weaponry. Apparently, retirement had not dampened his piloting abilities in the slightest.

When they finished with the building that housed the oscillator, Poe vowed silently to himself, there would be nothing left but a smear on the wintry landscape.

* * *

It was not necessary to utilize the scopes within the control room to see what was happening on another, critical part of the base. Huge explosions rocked the entire compound as flames erupted from the top of the distant oscillator. Further confirmation of the location and strength of the attack arrived in the form of blaring alarms and strobing warning lights.

A flood of activity enveloped the base as the installation's entire complement was mobilized to deal with this threat. Black-suited pilots raced to their awaiting TIE fighters as in the distance, Republic X-wings swooped around in a tight arc preparing to make another run. Amid all the confusion, an officer shouted into the comm.

"Report to your ships. Report to your ships! We are in phase red! Repeat, phase red! All pilots, get your ships off the ground!"

Walls of gray metal lit from within rose above the intruders as they made their way down yet another corridor, ending with yet another blast door. This time they would not be able to bypass it, however. As troopers and pilots alike ran past them, they found cover in any crevice they could. To Cade it seemed as if they would never be able to escape this place, much less find Rey in all this confusion. Finn acted as their guide, as he knew his way around these dreary hallways better than anyone.

As Chewie began removing some of the small but powerful explosives from the duffel he had been carrying, Han was working out a plan for the others.

"We'll use the charges to blow the blast door. The holding cells for prisoners are just beyond the corridor. You two go in. Cade, you draw their fire. Finn and I will take them out. Chewie will mop up anyone left standing."

"I'll need cover," stated Cade, as he removed the scope from his rifle. "This thing isn't the best for close quarters."

"You'll get it." Han eyed Finn intently. "You up for this, kid?"

"Hell no," Finn told him. "I never thought I would be directly assaulting the detention center. But we aren't leaving here without Rey."

Han nodded. He was inclined to believe the younger man, as he responded with clear conviction in his voice.

"I just hope she's alive," responded a concerned Cade.

Just then, Han noticed some movement behind them. He motioned for the group to take cover, which they did, hiding in nearby shadows and Cheiwe crouching behind a console. It didn't provide the best of cover, but it would do for the moment.

The movement was surprisingly Rey. Finn and Cade gaped in astonishment, not quite able to accept what they were seeing. Chewbacca moaned his relief at the fact he would not have to detonate explosives is such tight quarters.

It took her a moment to realize what was happening as well before she ran to Cade, throwing herself into his arms. Neither could hug the other hard enough or long enough. "Are you alright?" he asked her, relieved. "What happened? Did he hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine. What are you _doing_ here?"

Finn interjected himself into the conversation, smiling softly. "We came back for you." She let go of Cade and embraced Finn as well. She tried to find something to say but couldn't think of the right words.

It was all very sweet and charming, Han mused as he observed the happy reunion. If only he could forget they were stick on a hostile world, in a First Order base, amid squads of roving troopers who were inclined to shoot on sight.

"Escape now, hug later," he finally told them. "Right now, let's get outta here."


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note** : Alright everyone, this is the chapter when the story will totally be changed forever. Thank you all for your continued support. I am already halfway through the next chapter (that's how excited I was to write it), so look for that in the next week or so. Hope you enjoy and as always, May the Force Be With You!

* * *

Rising from their base, a host of TIE fighters moved to engage the elite X-wing squadron. What had been a precisely plotted sequence of attack runs dissolved into chaotic dogfights as one X-wing pilot after another was forced to break from formation to engage the assailants. Where formerly the sky above Starkiller Base had been filled only with the scream of the invaders' engines, the blueness in which they had been operating now gave way to a cyclone of streaking energy blasts and explosions.

Nearly colliding with an oncoming TIE fighter, Poe let loose a series of blasts, destroying the fighter before it could swing around to engage him.

"Cover for each other! There's a lot of 'em, but don't let that scare you!

"Black Three," Snap called out, "got one on your tail! Pull up and give us a view!"

"Copy that!" Black Three replied. Yanking bank on her controls, Jess Pava took her ship up sharply, exposing the area in her wake to Poe's fire, reducing her attacker to flaming fragments.

"I owe you one!" she called out as she sent her vessel diving back into the fray in a corkscrew.

"Yeah, you owe me another attack run! Stick close to me!"

The two fighters dove and carried out another strike on the containment structure while the rest of the X-Wings provided covering fire. A series of hits sent flame and smoke billowing in all directions, but as they pulled away, Poe realized the building was still intact. It appeared to have suffered no damage at all.

"We're not making a dent!" he yelled over the battle comm. "What's that thing made of, anyway?"

A telltale on his console lit up, demanding his attention. Flicking his attention to the attendant monitor, his eyes widened.

Seekers. Hundreds of them, rising from launch batteries concealed beneath the armoring of the base. Rising toward him and his fellow pilots, these weapons gave them little room to maneuver.

"We got company!" Was all he managed to say before he had to take evasive action himself. He watched as the missiles rammed into two of his pilots, Black Nine and Black Thirteen. He screamed into the comm, hoping to get the attention of the others. "Black Squadron, hit the deck! Now!"

He watched as other pilots quickly caught on and dove for the ground. The seekers found targets regardless. Poe watched as nearly two dozen TIEs were taken out by friendly fire. His voice emitted both satisfaction and concern. "Watch out for those seekers. If you have one on your tail, hit the deck. Continue the attack on the facility!"

* * *

Above the planet in the cold vacuum of space, the battle between the Republic and First Order fleet was not going any less spectacular. While they had taken out two of the Star Destroyers, their lead cruiser was taking heavy damage. Ackbar's fish-like eyes grew even larger when the shields on the lead vessel flashed red. " _Liberator_ , get out of there! You can't take much more of that fire! Rogue Squadron, get those fighters away from the engines!"

He was too late in giving his orders, as the _Liberator_ erupted into a ball of flame in front of him, the debris destroying a First Order reconnaissance craft. He knew he would have to come up with something quick if he wanted to have a chance against this many destroyers.

"All fighters," he announced over the fleet battle net, "engage those Star Destroyers. Support craft; switch to anti-fighter ordinance. Protect the cruisers."

Rogue Leader responded first. "Affirmative, Admiral!" Command Antilles looked down at her own board, realizing she had lost four pilots already. Switching over to the squadron's channel, she spoke over the comms. "Alright Rogues listen up. We're gonna buzz that lead destroyer. Engage front deflector shields."

Leia watched from the bridge of the command ship as the Republic fighters sped off to engage the destroyers. It was clear to see the First Order was not expecting this move. They were slow to reposition. That would buy them time, she knew. Time they could use to turn the tide of the battle in their favor.

Admiral Kenney paced the bridge of the _Decimator_ as his lead ships took a brutal pounding from the Republic fighters. He knew his forces could not withstand this barrage for long. He alerted General Hux to such concerns.

"Then find a way to deal with it, Admiral." Hux paused in the hologram, barking orders to his subordinates on the base below. "We've got our hands full down here." Just then, another destroyer was obliterated by Republic forces, the explosion reflecting off Keeney's face. The admiral looked back at the hologram. "Permission to engage the enemy in a full-frontal assault, sir."

"Granted," replied Hux. "For the glory of the Order."

Kenney smiled, "For the glory of the Order." He cut the transmission and gave the signal to his subordinates. The engines on his remaining destroyers came to life as they advanced towards the Republic Fleet at full speed.

"They're engaging us at point-blank range admiral!" shouted the commander of the cruiser _Alliance_. "We need immediate assistance!" Ackbar did not flinch, knowing this was a possibility from the beginning. "All reserve craft move to engage the enemy. Keep them away from the cruisers." Leia had moved up beside him. She had a look of worry on her face.  
"Can we win with these odds, Admiral?" she asked him.

His response was grim and silent. He truly did not know how the hodge-podge fleet would respond. He could only hope their training would override their fear. "I'm not sure." He motioned for two marines. "In any case, you should evacuate. If we lose this battle, you're our only hope for continuing the fight."

She waved them off, the marines clearly confused. "No. The fight is here. I will not run away while these brave soldiers fight for our very survival." She was steady in her response. "I stay."

He nodded. "As you wish." He returned his attention back towards the battle as another corvette was lost to enemy fire.

* * *

An exterior access door opened, and the five figures came racing out into the snow. Their attention was immediately drawn skyward. None of them were an expert in aerial warfare. But they didn't have to be. The presence of multiple TIE fighters backed by a seemingly endless barrage of missiles allowed anyone to predict the outcome of the battle. Even the most die-hard optimist would have conceded the inevitable.

Han turned to Finn; his expression solemn. But his tone was the same as always: ready for anything. He gestured towards Chewbacca.

"What's the best place to plant these explosives? Would be a shame if we had to drag them back all the way to the _Falcon_."

"The oscillator is the only sensible target," Finn told him. "But there's no way inside."

"We have to find a way," Cade pointed skyward. "If those pilots can't complete their mission, we're the only ones left."

They all stood there for a moment in silence with the chaos of battle around them, trying to think of a possible solution until Rey had one.  
"I think I know of a way in."

Everyone turned toward Rey. Chewie ventured the question that had to be asked.

"I've seen the inside of these walls before," she told them as the sky above continued to rain destruction. "They're modeled after Imperial mechanics and architecture. Get me to a junction box and I can get us in."

Cade nodded and smiled at her. "We can do that."

Han agreed. "Alright, here's the plan: Chewie and I will be waiting at the structure. You two take Rey to that junction box, then link up with us on the inside." He paused, pulling something off his belt, handing it to Cade. "Here, take this. Just in case we get separated, you can make it back to the _Falcon._ " It was a wrist tracker, able to tell the wearer the location of anything on a planet given it was in range and the signal was not being jammed. Lucky for Han, the frequency on which it operated was hard to pin down and even harder to jam.

Cade glanced at his uncle, then began to move away. "We'll see you there."

"Good luck," and with that, Han and Chewie ran off to the structure they intended to blow sky high.

A hasty search took the young trio to a parking area filled with a smattering of vehicles. Between Finn's training and Rey's handiness with machines, they got the snow speeder fired up. Cade hopped into the pilot's seat and handed Rey his sniper rifle. "You two shoot, I'll drive."

They nodded. Just then, the patrolling trooper saw them leave, which he followed up with a quick report.

"Speeder stolen from Precinct Twenty-Eight."

The reply contained more than a hint of disbelief. "Stolen?"

"Yes, sir. Unauthorized departure. Three humans."

A pause, then, "We're tracking it. Sending a backup squad immediately."

Careening over a snow drift, Cade struggled with the unfamiliar controls while scattering a small local creature as they sped toward the containment center. "Do you want me to drive?" Rey asked him in a sarcastic tone.

"It's harder," he caused the speeder to tilt without realizing it before coming back down on a linear path, "than it looks!"

She rolled her eyes and noticed the X-wings were dwindling in number. Only a dozen or so remained, their attacks diminishing with each fighter lost. The sky continued to darken as the curtain of increasingly opaque dark energy was drawn into the collectors that dominated the other side of the planet, blocking more and more sunlight as the containment unit situated at the planetary core continued to fill.

"Snow is _cold_!" Rey said as she squeezed off a round at the approaching squad. They followed on speeder bikes, much faster than the tub they were currently in. An unexpected boom in front of them caused the speeder to wobble. Their left engine had been hit by shrapnel! Rey attempted to fire back, but her shots missed. The approaching troopers would take them out soon if something was not done. They had to do something and fast. Rey was much more skilled at driving…

"Switch!" she yelled.

"Right!" replied Cade, grabbing the rifle from her hands.

They made the difficult change only because they had to, with both Cade and Finn in a position to accurately return fire. Multiple blasts from the troopers hit nothing, as Rey slalomed around and between trees while the two men attempted to take out their pursuers.

The two men released burst after burst, but to no avail. Rey did not know how much longer she could maintain this speed without the speeder blowing up on them.

Eventually, Finn's shot struck home, sending the trooper flying. Cade's shot did the same. The two men smiled at one another. "Nice shot buddy," they said simultaneously. Their attention quickly shot skyward when a TIE fighter exploded overhead, sending debris all around them.

Rey dodged most of the debris. "They're charging the weapon! We're running out of time!"

Finn crawled up into the front seat, pointing past a clump of trees. "We're almost there! The junction box is dead ahead!"

"I hope this plan of yours works!" Cade yelled over the hum of the dying speeder. He realized that they had only the slimmest chances of preventing the destruction of what little the Republic had left. But it was all they were able to do.

* * *

Watching from cover, Han and Chewie waited until a trio of stormtroopers could be seen approaching a wide, heavy-duty service hatch. It was smaller than any of the major portals they had seen thus far. Which meant, Han hoped, that it was likely to be lightly guarded. As the doorway opened, Chewie immediately took out the middle trooper with his bowcaster. Startled, the surviving troopers returned fire, only to be cut down by Han's quick trigger hand. Alarms began to blare, rising even above the cacophony of the nearby aerial assault. Within the open passageway, another stormtrooper darted away from the action before the smugglers could finish him off.

"Well Chewie," he said to his old friend. "They know we're here. Time to wait for the kids and plant the charges."

* * *

Rey brought the snow speeder to a stop beside the small black structure. To Cade, it looked unimpressive, but they did not have time to critique the architecture. The two men secured a perimeter while Rey began to work on the instrumentation. While opening the interior, she noticed the wires were laid out in a simple design.

"Been doing this all my life. Never thought about it much until now. It was just something I did every day to survive. Almost like breathing." As if he to demonstrate to herself that she was more than a little familiar with the components in question, she closed her eyes while continuing to work. She was gratified that when she opened them, she hadn't missed a single connection. "Except this place is too _cold_."

"Here," said Cade, setting the rifle on a tree stump. He took off his blue-grey jacket and draped it over her shoulders. He was wearing thermal gear underneath, so the temperature difference was not much for him. She said nothing and continued to work.

"Hurry up, we don't have much time," voiced a concerned Finn.

"Almost," said Rey, as she yanked hard on a piece of brightly covered wire. "Got it!"

They looked over at the oscillator facility and realized the lights had gone out. Cade smiled, starting to move forward. "Alright, let's move."

* * *

Now deep within the complex, an increasingly anxious Han allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief as the service hatch they had been monitoring finally parted to reveal an empty corridor beyond. There was no sign of enemy troopers anywhere. As the two intruders rushed forward, Chewbacca let out an agitated moan.

"Yeah," Han agreed. "No kidding."

A quick check of the vicinity indicated that no one, organic or droid, was waiting in ambush. While he was grateful, he knew it would not last for long. Hurriedly, he and Chewie divided the duffel's explosive contents.

"Let's plant 'em at every other support column we can find," Han suggested. When Chewie responded with a series of emphatic moans, Han reconsidered.

"You're right. Better idea." He indicated the nearest of the buildings massive support structures. "We don't have enough to blow the whole place. Let's plant them all on one. You take the top, I'll take the bottom. Meet back here."

Unintentionally, their eyes met. Both man and Wookiee stood there for a while without moving. No words were said. Nothing more needed to be. They both knew their jobs. It might be the last time, but that didn't matter. _Same ethic, different species, same thought_ , Han mused.

He pointed stiffly. "Go! Before things get messy."

Chewie complied, but still looked back at Han. Han returned the gaze but raced off to do what needed to be done.

There was a lot on his mind, but when one is placing explosives, its usually a good idea to concentrate. Han checked on the install, then moved down to another level.

In contrast to Han's single-minded efforts to place the explosives, Kylo Ren's thoughts were focused wholly on locating the intruders. Approaching the main entrance to the hexagon, he ignored the squad of backup troopers waiting there as they snapped to attention in response to his arrival. Without orders, the one trooper hit the controls that activated the main entrance portal. As a gesture from Ren, he and his companions followed their leader inside.

The squad's presence was diminished by the daunting interior of the complex. Around them, instrumentation and components hummed, ensuring the mass of the dark energy would be held safely.

Halting, Ren slowly scanned his surroundings with his eyes and the Force. He sensed their presence, even if it was weak. Even though they knew what he was doing, the troopers still marveled at the display. After a long moment of deliberation, he motioned them toward the upper levels.

"They're here. Find them."

The troopers immediately went into action, moving off rapidly in the direction he had indicated. Once they were out of sight, Ren turned slowly and descended downward.

Weapons at the ready, the troopers ascended, following prescribed search procedure and covering for one another as they advanced. Blind corners received special attention and added caution.

From the shadows, Chewbacca watched them pass, admiring the precision with which they progressed even as he kept still. Once they were out of sight, he emerged to place another charge.

Below, Han had finished setting a charge and was preparing to climb a bit higher when a sound made him hesitate. The structure was filled with odd sounds, but this one was different. Taking no chances, he slipped behind a wide vertical support.

From out in front of him, he noticed a figure which made his blood turn cold. He had known that figure for a long time.

 _Here_ , Ren told himself with increasing certainty. _They are here. I will find him_. Slowly, he advanced toward a walkway leading to the other side of the structure. Pausing there, he looked around, hesitant, uncertain before continuing forward. The sound of his boots receded into the distance.

Rising from his hiding place, Han looked back the way he had come. If he had left now and managed to control his thoughts, he could make it out of the building alive. If he was truly lucky, he would find Chewie and the others. But he was no longer that man. He had not been that man for some time, merely pretending to be. He had made his choice. He would do what needed to be done, even if it meant risking his own safety in the process.

He advanced to the edge of the walkway, slowly. Then called out.

"Ben!"

It echoed across the gap, reverberated through the vast open space below.

On the far side, a tall figure turned and retraced his last few steps.

"Han Solo." Kylo Ren stared across at the older man. "I've been waiting for this day."

"Take off that mask." Han's tone was a mix of command and empathy. "You don't need it here. Not with me."

"What do you think you'll see?"

Han moved forward once more. "The face of my son."

Ren reached up and slowly removed the mask. For the first time, Han saw the face of his son as a grown man and it jolted him. "Your son is gone. He was weak and foolish, like his father." His reply was replete with anger and pity. "So I destroyed him."

Both men were so intent on one another that neither of them noticed a new arrival on a railing meters above their confrontation. Having slipped inside thanks to an access ladder, Rey, Finn, and Cade found themselves peering down at the pair confronting one another. Cade's face was immediately flush with concern. They were hearing every word.

"That's what Snoke wants you to believe," Han was saying. He wasn't pleading, just stating fact. "It's not true. My son is still alive. I'm looking at him right now."

The exchange drew another onlooker, as Chewbacca observed from a level above.

Ren's eyes blazed. "No! The Supreme Leader is wise. He knows me for what I am. What I can become. He knows you for what you truly are."

Similarly drawn by the sounds of conversation, the troopers looked on intently as did the rest of the group. Fearful of taking the initiative and disobeying their superior, they held their ground.

Stepping farther out onto the walkway, Han moved toward his son. There was no hesitation in his stride now. "Snoke's using you for your power. You know this is true. It always has been. If you have half the ability, half the perception I know you have, then you'll know I'm telling the truth. Because unlike him, I have nothing to gain from it."

Ren hesitated.

"It's too late," he told his father.

"No, no its not." He moved closer, smiling at his son. "It's never too late. No one is ever really gone. Come home. We all miss you." Without the slightest trace of malice or deception, he cast a dagger. "Your mother misses you."

A strange sensation touched the younger man's cheeks. Something long forgotten. Dampness. Tears.

"I'm being torn apart. I want. I want to be free of this _pain_."

Han took another step, then stopped, waiting, A decision had to be made. But for once, it was not his to make.

"I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it." Ren moved further to the walkway toward Han. "Will you help me?"

"Yes," Han told him. "Anything."

Halting an arm's length from his father, Ren unclipped his lightsaber, looked down at it for a moment, then extended it towards Han. In the other hand, he still grasped his helmet. For an instant that seemed to last forever, nothing happened. Smiling, Han reached for the weapon. Then, as the light from outside was fully blocked by the flow of descending, accumulating dark energy, Ren ignited the lightsaber.

The fiery red beam lanced outward to pierce Han's chest from front to back.

"Thank you," murmured Ren, and truly, the darkness above was mimicked by the darkness in his voice.

From their perch above, Cade, Rey, and Finn gasped simultaneously.

"Solo. Solo." Finn put his arm around the girl beside him.

"No, it can't be," she whispered.

Cade's fist balled up in anger, not sure exactly what to do.

Accepting without quite believing, Han stared back into the face of the creature that had once been his son. There was nothing to see there. Only darkness in the shape of a face he once knew. One that was unthinking and unfeeling. His knees buckled, the beam tilting down with him as he crumpled. For another moment, Han held on to the edge of the walkway. A rush of memories flashed through his mind: worlds and time, friends and enemies, triumphs and failures. Words he wished he had spoken to the important ones in his life. Others he had regretted. All gone now, lost forever. He touched the face of the man he once called his son, then fell into the depths below.

On a spaceship far above the planet, a woman felt a shudder in the Force that lanced through her like a knife. She slumped into a nearby seat, her head lowering, and started to cry.

Stunned by his own action, Kylo Ren stood there motionless. Following through on the act should have made him stronger. Instead he found himself weakened.

Above, Cade was completely torn apart. He witnessed one of the only family he had left cut down by the monster masquerading in the face of his cousin. He was broken.

He screamed at the top of his lungs.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Chewie joined with him and brought their weapons to bear. They fired off successive shots at the man below. He managed to deflect most of them, but one glanced his right side, dropping him to the grated deck.

Hostile fire being something the group of stormtroopers could react to without having to wait for an order, they immediately blasted back at Chewie and Cade. Returning fire, the Wookiee retreated down a corridor, hitting the switch on the remote detonator as he ran.

First one charge ignited, then two, then four, then finally the rest. Enormous and concerted, explosions rocked the interior of the hexagon. The roof collapsed, opening a large hole within the structure leading to the essential components below. Walls shuddered and the support columns began to crumble. Amid the rising bedlam and confusion, Kylo Ren struggled to stand. As he did, his gaze shifted upward to where fire was raining down from a lone sniper.

He met the hatred of Cade, Finn, and Rey, all staring down at him.

The shock of recognition helped him to regain his footing. Rising to his full height, he put his helmet back on and started along the still standing walkway, moving with determination.

A heartbroken Cade was dragged and carried away by his two friends in the hopes they could still make their escape.

* * *

High above the planet's surface, the Republic fleet desperately clung to hope. They had lost two cruisers and the fighters were taking a brutal pounding. The First Order had committed to their close-range efforts, losing five more destroyers in the process. But they had the numbers and Ackbar knew it.

"Rogue Squadron, protect the _Dauntless_. They're losing shields!"

"We're on it Admiral. We aren't sure how much more of a beating we can take."

"We only need to provide cover until Black Squadron is able to complete their mission." He glanced at his command board and realized over half of his forces were simply gone, the other half badly beaten.

Just then over the battlenet, the bridge heard excitement. Joy almost. It was coming down from the planet's surface.

"All units, repeat all units. This is Black Leader. Target structural integrity has been breached! I repeat: Target structural integrity has been breached! There's an opening. Now's our chance. Black 2 and 7, hit it with me! Give it everything you've got!"

The command bridge erupted in excitement. They might have a shot at this after all. Ackbar calmed them down, then returned his attention to the chaos before him. There was work to be done.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note** : This is it everyone! The climax you've been waiting for. This fanfic has truly been one of the coolest things I've ever done. I'm hoping to have the next chapter and the epilogue posted within the next couple of weeks. I have a couple good ideas I'd like to do for my Episode VIII and IX, but we'll have to see how those pan out. I'm trying to do my best in honoring the legacy of Lucas with these, as he is the reason why we all share the love for these stories. I want to try something new, but also incorporate some elements from previous movies, current canon, and old EU material. Regardless, thanks everyone for the support. I do appreciate it and please keep it coming. Review what you've read! If you think it's awesome, tell me! If it's horrible and you hate it (not sure why you would though), tell me! Every day is a learning opportunity for me to become a better writer. I hope to be able to publish some of my own original work someday. Anyway, here's the showdown you've been waiting for!

Enjoy, and as always, May the Force be With You!

-Vikesman100

* * *

Within the corridors and confines, the administrative rooms and technical control sectors of Starkiller Base, there was panic. Technicians reacted with despair as, despite all their efforts, they were unable to keep the primary weapon systems from going to critical.

"Sir!" yelled one technician. "We're losing power all across the board. Systems are failing."

"Lower-order cells are overheating," declared another. "Emergency crews can't get to the site."

Hux watched in silence as the command room became a flurry of active calls to different parts of the base. The oscillator had been hit, but not badly. They only needed to keep the Republic fighters away for a short time. Victory could still be had on this day.

* * *

"Come on!" seeking a path through the snow, shadows, and increasingly dark forest, Cade finally slowed. He had not wanted to run away, but it was the best possible option, or so his friends had told him. They were outmatched and outnumbered. With his emotions swirling, he was not in the best shape to be making decisions.

He looked down at his wrist, trying to find the easiest way back to the _Millennium Falcon_ from their present location. In any event, Rey, Finn, and himself were out of breath. When he looked over at them, he saw Rey give him a look of deep concern.

She had felt it, too.

He pealed off his wrist tracker and gave it to Rey. "He's coming for us next," he closed her hand around it. "You need to get out of here. Get back to the ship, find Chewie."

She shook her head in desperation. "I'm not leaving you."

Finn agreed with Cade, "Rey, you're the only one left who can fly us out of here. We'll stall him until you can get the _Falcon_ ready."

Cade looked at her, determination in his eyes. "Finn is right. We'll buy you enough time and find a way to escape."

"How will I know where you are?"

He looked at her with affection, still holding her hand. "You'll know." When she said nothing, he tried to reaffirm her. "Trust me."

She nodded, then let go of his hand. She took the wrist tracker and began to run towards the _Falcon_. They had no idea if Chewbacca had made it out of the base or if he was even still alive after all the chaos. As she distanced herself from her friends, she began to feel less of a cold presence from somewhere within herself. She knew he was coming for them. She only hoped she would see her friends again.

Finn and Cade looked at one another, knowing what was coming. "I'm glad you're here, Finn."

Knowing it was his way of apologizing from before, Finn returned the gesture. It might be the last thing he said to his friend. "Me too, Cade."

Cade pointed out in front of Finn to garner his attention. A singular figure stopped nearly ten meters in front of them. It was easy to tell that his voice was full of contempt and deep-seeded anger, even with the mask on.

"Where do you think you're going, _cousin_?"

Cade responded with equal contempt, "You're no longer my cousin, murdering snake."

The three men stood staring at one another for a short time, waiting for each other to make the first move. As Ren reached for his lightsaber, Cade pulled for his blaster. But even he was not quick enough for the Force.

Before he could fire, Ren raised a hand, halting him. Cade strained against him, but could not push through, his emotions clouding his mind. The dark side user gritted his teeth at the wound inflicted by the younger man and flung his arm sideways. The blaster went flying out of Cade's hand as he was catapulted into the air, smacking hard into a nearby tree, knocking him unconscious.

" _Cade_!"

Finn started towards him, but the sound of Ren's lightsaber igniting made him turn. In the darkness, the hum and glow of the gleaming red weapon was mesmerizing. With nothing else to fall back on and unable to reach Cade's blaster, Finn resorted to the only defense on his person: The Skywalker lightsaber. He ignited the blade and stood his ground

The sight of the weapon caused Ren to chuckle. "A _Stormtrooper_ wielding a lightsaber? Your death will be painful."

Ren immediately rushed forward. Despite his fear, Finn raised the beam to defend himself. Ren lunged, striking the blue-white blade. Finn parried. Shards of light flew, illuminating the snow and surrounding vegetation as the two ancient but efficient weapons clashed with a sound that reverberated throughout the forest.

Drawing back, Ren considered his unexpectedly determined opponent for a millisecond before resuming his assault with a vengeance.

Finn blocked him again and again, once letting the other man's blade slide against his own and harmlessly off to one side, baiting him. He counterattacked, but to no avail. His opponent was too skilled at sword fighting. The longer the contest continued, the stronger Ren seemed to become. It was as if he was enjoying the challenge. Feeding upon it.

At least, it appeared so until Finn parried, swung, and unexpectedly stabbed the tip of his lightsaber across Ren's shoulder. This was no longer a simple execution. It was now more of a challenge. Taking a step back, Ren evaluated his opponent. He pounded his wounded side with his fist, sending searing pain throughout his entire mid-section. Blood dripped on the forest floor. He would use that pain to his advantage.

Advancing with a rage Finn had never seen in another being throughout his entire life, Ren lunged with attack after attack, tiring his opponent out. Finn was unable to defend against his blows for long.

Ren landed a blow that knocked Finn open to attack. Ren sliced at his shoulder, hitting it just enough to stun Finn. Ren kicked out his knee from under him, breaking it. The saber flew from Finn's grasp, landing in a nearby pile of snow. He collapsed to the ground, expecting no mercy from his former superior.

Ren decided to make this an execution after all. He walked around Finn, deactivating his lightsaber. He was going to enjoy this.

He turned around at a sound he did not recognize. He looked to where the lightsaber landed and saw it peeking just outside the snow. He grasped it through the Force and realized it was vibrating, attempting to fly away from him. He strained, groaning harder and reached out. The lightsaber rose and came bulleting towards him.

Only to change direction at the last second.

Taken aback, he whirled in the direction it went to see the weapon land in the hand of its true owner.

Cade grasped the lightsaber in his hand, standing at the spot where he had fallen moments before. Dark red blood seeped from the cut in his forehead. He looked at the weapon, remembering how it felt in his hands.

"It's… _you_?" Ren murmured. "The girl is powerful, but… _you_?"

Cade said nothing, the words unsettling him.

Ren cleared his mind quickly, attempting to further unsettle his opponent. "That lightsaber was never truly yours. It should have been _mine_!"

But Cade began to focus, deflecting the obvious taunt with one of his own. " _Then come take it_." Holding the lightsaber in both hands and adopting the Soresu Form of combat, he activated the blue-white blade, taking a defensive position and waited for his opponent to make the first move.

Smiling, Ren met him with his own weapon alight. Expecting weakness, he encountered only strength from Skywalker. He had not held a lightsaber for some time, but his stance was backed by focus and determination.

Their blades soon clashed, sending a crashing sound throughout the forest as the battle above raged on.

* * *

"Rogue Nine, hit the deck!" Commander Antilles shouted as her squad member pushed the yoke down. X-wings had become much more maneuverable since the last war, but so had the TIE fighters, apparently. Rogue Squadron was giving the enemy all they had, but only half the squadron remained intact. Antilles switched over to her private command channel. " _Home One_ , what's the situation looking like?"

Ackbar's voice croaked over the intercom. "Not good, commander. The fleet can't sustain much more damage." Just then, _Liberty_ 's reactor core blew, sending debris in multiple directions. Besides _Home One_ , they were down to one operational cruiser. Ackbar observed the on-going battle. He had an idea.

"Rogue Leader. Take Blue Squadron with you. Take out the rear Star Destroyer. It's most likely their command ship."

Antilles was confused. "But sir," she didn't want to question Ackbar in this situation, as he was the veteran strategist. "Won't that leave the cruisers unprotected?"

"We can manage. Get it done, commander. _Home One_ out."

She reluctantly agreed. The admiral didn't have to ask the Rogues twice to attack a Star Destroyer head on. She switched back to the squadron channel. "Rogues, Blues; listen up. Push your engines to the max. We're going after that command destroyer." She hit a switch on her console, illuminating the target for the remaining fighters. "Let's nab us another one!"

She heard joyful glee and excitement over the battlenet. Only fighter pilots would get excited about attacking a First Order Star Destroyer head on.

* * *

Rey had finally made her way back to the _Falcon_. She had to run through what felt like endless trees just to find the disk-shaped ship. She noticed Chewbacca had been able to safely make his way back to the ship. She approached, but he immediately brought his bowcaster to bear.

Holding her hands up, she stopped in her tracks. "Chewie! It's me! Rey."

He looked for a moment, then threw his weapon back over his shoulder. He growled a command to her that she somewhat understood. When she did not move, Chewie pointed into the ship. She followed his directions to realize the motivator needed to be repaired or they wouldn't be getting the ship off the ground. She went to work immediately, hoping she was fast enough. She connected the components much quicker than what she expected. She primed the motivator and it hummed to life. She smiled, but it did not last long.

Chewie entered the cockpit, barking orders at her which she did not fully understand. Chewie spoke again, this time gesturing to the open pilot's chair. She knew what he was meaning. She would have to take _his seat_ if they wanted to make it out alive. She nodded solemnly, then moved into the pilot's chair, becoming familiar with the controls once more.

"Let's find the others," she said to Chewie as the _Falcon_ came to life. They blasted off and searched for any sign of their friends.

* * *

To an observer in the distance, it would have appeared as if a series of small explosions were going off on the forest floor. Closer inspection revealed it was lightsaber clashing against lightsaber. Ren landed blow after blow against Cade, but Skywalker would not yield. For every lunge or slash, he met it with equal force and applied a few tricks of his own. He whirled the lightsaber in his hands in quick succession, knocking Ren off balance and allowing him to gain the upper hand for a fraction of a second.

But that was all it amounted too. Cade was too out of practice with his weapon to be truly effective against Ren. The dark side user had been trained directly by Luke Skywalker himself. Ren knew skills Cade could not even dream off.

Ren decided he would test the younger man's concentration. Using the Force, he threw a branch at Cade. Sensing this, Cade slashed with his weapon, sending the branch in two around him. He brought his weapon up to block the strong attack which followed.

Cade continued to move backwards, constantly on the defensive as his opponent attacked and continued the brutal assault. He chased him down a narrow rock alcove, sending sparks flying as their blades bounced off the shiny igneous around them. As he began to run out of room, Cade jumped away from his opponent, climbing the wall. He had to end this fight. Fast.

* * *

Poe's X-Wing navigated along the side of the base, hoping to hit it where it would hurt the most. Jess Pava and Snap Wexley were his wing mates, blasting away at any defenses around them. TIE fighters were finally noticing their intent and began swarming them. They had to break off from their attack several times just to survive.

"Black Squadron," Poe gasped into the mic at his chin, "we need help with these TIEs!" He heard affirmatives over the battlenet but noticed no difference in the attacking forces. "Blast it, we need assistance," he mumbled to himself. Only BB-8 had heard a word he said, releasing a frightened beep in the process.

"I know buddy, I know. Do your best to contain it." He flipped a switch and grabbed the yoke hard, attempting to lose his pursuer in a tight swing. It worked, only for another enemy to park itself on his tail.

 _Great_ , he thought to himself. _Where do these things keep coming from_?

Suddenly, Poe found himself outmatched and outgunned. Three TIEs were attempting to herd him away from his squadron. He knew how to counter this, but it was risky. He quickly pulled his X-wing in a tight dive, attempting to get one of his pursuers to bite. They did. He locked them in his crosshairs and opened fire. They exploded in a ball of fire. He smiled.

He stopped when he realized the enemies' wingman had decided to perform the same maneuver and was now barreling towards him. Poe did not know how it had happened, but the approaching TIE was destroyed, and a white freighter came zooming by.

"I can't believe it!" shouted Snap over the battlenet. "It's the _Millennium Falcon_!"

Poe watched as the autocannons on the Falcon chewed through at least two more TIE fighters. They were driving the enemy back.

"Thanks for the assist, Solo," said Poe over the battlenet, hoping the occupants on the old but reliable freighter were tuned in. "Care to help us a little more?"

"Lead the way," replied a voice. But it was not the voice of Han Solo. Rather, it sounded like a younger woman. Brushing it aside for the moment, Poe took the lead. With the _Falcon_ by their side, the remaining members of Black Squadron approached the trench leading to the oscillator mainframe.

Turbolaser fire danced around them, but Black Squadron persisted onward. Poe watched as another of his squadron, known as Black Six, or Ello Asty as his friends called him, died in a fireball from a seeker that had somehow found its way into the trench. He pushed the thought of his dying squadron out of his mind and raced onward.

The turbolaser fired increased as more TIEs pursued them into the trench. The fire was beginning to become too much for the X-wings. The Falcon could no longer follow as the trench narrowed. Poe had had enough. He was going to finish this or die trying. "Black Squadron, break off! I repeat, break off! Pull back to a safe distance and get the hell out of here!"

"We're not leaving you, Poe," shouted Pava over the battlnet.

"That's an order! Now go!" The squadron pulled away, leaving only Poe in the trench. He accelerated at maximum speed at the hole blown open earlier by the infiltrators. He barely squeezed his X-Wing in, scraping metal against metal.

He began to systematically destroy everything in sight with his laser cannons. Flames engulfing his ship, he relied only on instinct to take out the remaining lifeline of the station. To finish it off, he fired several proton torpedoes into the main reactor shaft. He did not look back. Accelerating quickly, he exited from the hole which he entered.

"The target is hit Admiral! I repeat, the target is hit!"

Ackbar and the bridge around him erupted in excitement. "Very good, Commander. Bring your squadron back to orbit. We'll move the fleet to a safe distance away from the planet."

A new voice came over the intercom, one which Leia and Ackbar did not recognize. "This is the _Millennium Falcon_. Cade Skywalker and Finn are still on the planet. I'm not leaving him behind."

Leia interceded before Ackbar could say anything. "Hurry. The planet is about to implode on itself. You have minutes."

"Affirmative, we'll find him. _Falcon_ out." The battlenet went silent. Leia looked down to the planet, hoping her nephew would make it out alive.

* * *

Alarms blared all around the command center. Technicians were in a complete panic.

"General Hux!' one shouted. "All systems critical. The weapon will implode, sir!"

Hux stood there silently as his entire life's work collapsed around him. He had no idea how this had happened, but they had lost. He knew when to cut their loses though. They would not be the Empire and take this defeat lying down. There was always another day to fight.

"Evacuate the base," he commanded. "Order Admiral Kenney to disengage his forces and create a protective barrier for our transports."

Technicians began issuing orders and fleeing for waiting evacuation transports. Hux ignored all of this, heading for his personal shuttle. He pulled out his communicator and contacted the person he both dreaded and respected the most. The face of the Supreme Leader appeared before him, scarred and deformed. "Supreme Leader. Starkiller Base is lost. I am ordering the evacuation."

"I know. I have felt the disturbance. Proceed to Rendezvous Point Gamma. And General," he said, pausing. " _Bring Kylo Ren to me_."

* * *

Ren slashed at Cade's feet, barely missing. Cade rolled onto the ground above and reignited his lightsaber. He attempted to use the Force to throw objects at his pursuer, but Kylo Ren easily slashed them away. "Don't toy with me. Show me what has awakened inside of you!" He aggressively struck once more, with Cade beginning to struggle with defending the blows.

Eventually, Kylo Ren decided to get close to his target. He locked blades with Cade, pushing one of the open vents on his lightsaber against Cade's shoulder. Cade howled in pain, anger flashing in his eyes. He pushed the pommel of his lightsaber into Ren's face, bloodying the man's nose in the process. Ren stepped back, observing his opponent, laughing.

"Good, use your anger. It is the only way to defeat me."

Cade attempted to clear his head, it only partially working. "I'll make you pay for what you've done."

"What I've done?" Ren gestured around them, still able to hear the sounds of the battle. He pointed his lightsaber at the sky. "I'm trying to make the galaxy a better place! To bring true peace. Can't you see that?"

Cade's determination grew. "By killing millions? Torturing, terrorizing, and slaughtering anyone who stands in your way?" He shook his head. "What did our parents fight for?"

He pointed a gloved hand at Cade, his mask not able to hide the emotion in his voice. "What they fought for was for _this_ to happen all over again. I'm trying to be better. I want to end it. All of it." The accusatory hand turned into one of embrace. "Join me."

Cade stared at the man he once called his family. "No," Cade huffed. "I will never join you."

Ren shook his head. "You still don't understand, cousin. I'm done trying to make you. I'll show you…" He readied his lightsaber, ready to strike once more.

Suddenly, a noise rose from within the planet itself, so deafening it felt like an entire continent was shifting. Cade looked down at the forest floor to realize Kylo and himself were separating with no way to reconnect them. Almost twenty meters separated them. Cade knew his opponent could not make that leap in his condition, nor could he. He shut down his blade and ran towards his friend, desperate to get away from this planet and the demons which haunted him.

Cade ran with all his might toward the last spot he remembered his friend being. He knew they might not make it off the planet. But he would be damned if they were going to die like this. Not without trying to escape first. The ever-increasing darkness made it difficult for him to see, but he relied on intuition and the Force to guide him. Eventually, he saw movement on the ground directly in front of him. It was Finn.

" _Finn_!" he shouted, happy his friend was alright. He clipped the lightsaber to his belt and went to pick up his friend.

Finn, his face bloodied and body nearly broken, simply looked up at his friend. His spirt was not. "Took you long enough."

Cade assisted him to his feet. "Can you walk?" he asked.

Finn shook his head. "Maybe."

Cade brought Finn's arm around his shoulder, partially carrying him and allowing Finn to hobble on his strong side. The ground rumbled around them. "I'll take a maybe, we gotta move."

The two men began to slowly make their way towards an opening in the forest. What had once been a smooth plateau had turned into a cliff overlooking a large abyss. They had no where else to go.

The two men looked around, completely out of options. Cade decided to try something he had never done before, merely heard about from older Jedi. He reached out with his mind, voicing the person he was attempting to contact.

"Rey," he said. He calmed his mind, then repeated it again. "Rey, hear me. Rey."

Back on the Falcon, Rey heard a voice, almost as if it was a whisper. She turned to Chewbacca, but he was too focused on the instruments to pay her any attention. She heard it again. She immediately knew who it was.

"Cade." She turned to Chewie. "I know where they are." Chewie barked a question. "Yes they're close," she pointed out the viewport, noticing the cliff Cade had sent through their connection. "There!"

The _Falcon_ approached and she saw the two men standing there. She began to move toward the boarding ramp. "Get me as close as you can."

She sprinted the length of the Falcon in what seemed like an instant. She opened the ramp to find a bloody Cade and Finn standing there. Chewie had gotten them as close as he could but was still feet away. Finn was in no condition to jump.

Cade said something to Finn that Rey could not hear over the whine of the engines. He yelled at her. "I've got an idea! You catch him!"

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"Just trust me!"

Cade stepped away from Finn. He closed his eyes and raised his hand, almost as if touching him from a distance. Finn began to move through the air. Rey stretched out both arms to catch him, noticing that Cade was beginning to shake. Before he could lose his concentration, Rey caught the injured man. Just when Cade was about to make the leap, Rey noticed something moving behind the man.

"Cade, look out!" He turned around just in time, bringing up his lightsaber to counter the strike from Kylo Ren. It took Cade everything he had to push the masked man away for a brief second.

"Go!" he shouted. "Get out of here! I'll hold him off!" Rey took Finn into the ship, setting him down on the deck before rushing back to the edge of the ramp. Chewie was beginning to drift away, not wanting to leave his friend behind, but unable to control the ship for long by himself.

Rey watched as the unstable red blade swung mercilessly at her friend. Cade was barely able to match his attacks. He looked back and realized she was standing at the edge of the ramp, watching it all unfold. He had to do something, and fast. With all his might, he swung downwards with the lightsaber. Instead of pushing the attack, he extended his hands and used the Force to knock his opponent away. Kylo Ren was barely phased by this, but it gave Cade the time he needed to escape.

He sprinted toward the face of the cliff and leaped towards the hovering ship. He began falling away, but Rey reached out with one hand, catching him. She pulled him up and the two of them fell backward into the _Falcon_. She punched the ramp button on their way down, signaling to Chewie to hightail it out of there. With great haste, the ship fled from Starkiller Base.

Kylo Ren watched as the ship slowly faded into the darkness. Behind him, a squad of stormtroopers and General Hux approached him. They implored him to get in the shuttle, lest the ground fall out from underneath them. He complied, but looked once more at the fleeing ship, knowing there would be another fight. The next fight, he knew, he would win.


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note** : I would like to thank everyone for the words of kindness you have shown me. Please share this and tell me what you think. I'm debating about doing an audio reading of the story over on my YouTube channel in case you ever wanted to listen to it that way instead. I honestly cannot believe I'm done with my very first FanFic! It's been a long 10 months of writing, editing, and reshuffling of dialogue, but I think it was worth it. Now, I'm going to take a break from writing on here for a while. I want to take my time with developing the overall story for my next two installments. Tentatively I will shoot for a release of my version of _The Last Jedi_ in late December, early January. I have a rough idea of where I would like to see the story go, but I want to see _The Rise of Skywalker_ first to see if I must change anything major. Don't want to retread what they're doing. I know me retelling the sequel trilogy is anything but original, but I want to give you all something LucasFilm/Disney either didn't want to give us or just couldn't because of creative reasons or what have you. Anyway, here is the final chapter! I combined it and the epilogue because I did not think a 250-word ending was cool to give you all as the final chapter. So, without further suspense, here is my final chapter for The Skywalker Saga: Episode VII, The Force Awakens!

* * *

The fleet surrounded the system and watched as the base imploded inwards on itself. The system soon became binary. The First Order had already fled with its remaining forces. The Republic soon followed. The jump to lightspeed was accomplished without incident. Chewbacca had taken it upon himself to treat the wounds of both Cade and Finn. The large Wookiee said nothing to either man. Once finished, he left the two of them for a part of the ship in which he could find some form of solitude.

Finn was sedated and unresponsive. Cade ventured forward into the cockpit and sat in the co-pilot's chair beside Rey. The swirling blue lights of hyperspace engulfed the ship. Rey occupied herself with the instrumentation, attempting to fix a problem which was not there. Cade looked at her and noticed tears in her eyes. He held out his hand to her and she took it. Neither of them spoke another word the entire journey back.

* * *

Poe, having called in relief teams for his squadron before touching down, was waiting for the _Falcon_ when it touched down on D'Qar, settling into the large landing space once more. This time however, there were significantly fewer ships. Crews rushed forward to begin necessary repairs and pilots departed to begin their stand-down procedures.

As the boarding ramp hit the ground, Chewbacca emerged, assisting Finn. A medical stretcher was there waiting for them. Behind the team was Leia. Not sure how she had arrived faster than they did, Chewbacca approached her. The two of them embraced for a long moment before finally separating. He mumbled something, then followed Finn into the medical facility.

Cade and Rey remained onboard the Falcon, sitting in the cockpit. They sat there in silence until Leia entered. Touching the door frame, she stood there for a while, not saying anything at all. Whether the younger two noticed Leia, they did not say. Rey finally broke the silence, understanding the woman wanted a moment alone with her nephew. "I'm going to check on Finn. I'll catch up with you later." She let go of Cade's hand and he watched her as she left the cockpit.

Aunt and nephew said nothing for what seemed like an eternity. Cade twisted ever so slightly in his seat, almost as if trying to soothe himself. Leia did not know what exactly to say. She had consoled many people in her life, family members included. But nothing had ever hurt this hard.

"He was proud of you, whether he told you or not," she said with compassion.

Cade nodded, wishing he had realized this revelation sooner. "I know."

Leia noticed the synthestiches on his forehead from the cut earlier and realized it was in an almost identical place of the scar his father had. The lightsaber was clipped to his belt, shimmering off the light of D'Qar's evening sun. The lightsaber that had belonged to her brother. She smiled. "He would be proud of you, too."

He looked at her finally, his eyes red and puffy. But no tears flowed. Not anymore. He wiped them away with his sleeve. "I never thought I would be this person again," he looked down at the weapon. "Not after all that's happened."

"You've always been that person, Cade. Whether you wanted to admit it or not."

He nodded. "I realize that now," He paused, slowly beginning to come out of his depression, but still solemn in his remarks. "When we find him, I want to continue my training. Or at least what can be salvaged from it." He let a small smile come across his face. "If that's alright with you, chancellor."

She returned the smile and was happy to see her nephew expose a little bit of his usual self again. "Consider yourself on leave." The two laughed, then rose. They made their way out of the _Falcon_ and towards the base's command center.

* * *

Located away from the swirl of activity inside the base, the conference room was the perfect place for a semi-strategic gathering. Leia and Poe were there, as well as C-3P0, BB-8, and a chosen handful of high-ranking officers. Cade and Rey were the last to arrive after having checked on Finn in the medical bay. Chewbacca was performing repairs on the _Falcon_.

Never one to defer in the presence of superiors, Poe spoke first.

"Kylo Ren said that the segment held by Beebee-Ate is the last of the piece of the map that shows the way to Skywalker's location. So, where's the rest of it?"

"The First Order has it." Rey looked over at him. "They extracted it from the Imperial archives."

"That's impossible," stated now Admiral Statura. "The archives were destroyed during the Siege of Coruscant. We've been trying to recover the data lost for nearly twenty years with no success."

Cade rose to spoke. "It's not impossible. If a copy of the Old Republic maps were ever made, the First Order would be the ones to have it. Palpatine kept back-ups on everything. The First Order must have known the location of the cache. Theoretically they could have the locations to all the Jedi sanctuaries left in the galaxy." He stroked his beard, thinking. "If they have the locations, they could just go to each one in search of my father until they find him. It would take time, but they would have a leg up on us."

Leia smiled, as noticed the door opening. "I think I might have a faster solution to our problem." She indicated toward the open entry portal for the room.

Cade noticed a small blue and silver astromech wheel himself into the room. "Artoo!" He got up from his seat to meet his long-lost companion halfway, kneeling down to be at the same height. "I missed you buddy. I can't believe…" He was interrupted by a fresh farrago of beeping that all but drowned out all other conversation in the room. "Slow down, pal. _You what_?"

Everyone else in the room was waiting for Cade to explain. He stood up, placing his hand on the diminutive droid's head. "He says he downloaded the archives years ago and may have the rest of the map."

Statura's attention was garnered. "If we can extrapolate information from him, we might have a treasure trove of information on our hands." Artoo rolled over to the room's central computer and began to dump his information. The admiral was thoroughly shocked. "Wow! He's got everything! Base locations. Research facilities. Covert training grounds. Supply caches…" he trailed off, bringing out his datapad and furiously typing away as the data appeared before him.

Cade nudged his small friend. "Can you show us the old navigational charts?" Artoo beeped an affirmative and displayed the old maps for everyone in the room to see. The portion of the map obtained from Cade's old teacher, Lor San Tekka, was displayed over the image. The two merged together to create a cohesive map. A map to Luke Skywalker.

"Oh, my stars!" Threepio's exclamation was no less astonished than that of the organics in the conference room. "That's it!"

Leia swayed slightly, clear joy on her face for all to see. "Luke…"

Rey noticed Cade did not reveal what he was feeling. She pushed a little deeper with their connection and felt something else entirely… He felt, _anxious_? Surely that couldn't be right, she told herself. They were going to find his father after all. So why was she sensing more than what her friend had told her? She was determined to question him about it later.

Amid all the shouting and applause, few noticed the golden protocol droid as he stood beside the now quiet astromech unit. Placing his hand on the dome, Threepio let out the little emotion his programming allowed. "My dear friend, how I've missed you."

* * *

The medical bay was empty now except for the three friends who laughed around the bed of the injured man. Poe, Rey, Finn, and Cade could not contain themselves. They were just happy to be alive and away from any danger. Finn would be able to make a full recovery in a couple weeks thanks to multiple treatments in the bacta tank. Cade's prosthetic hand had even been replaced, so he no longer needed to wear a glove to hide the robotic appendage beneath.

Finn smiled at his friends, then looked at Rey and Cade. He became serious. "So, when do you leave?"

Rey answered for the both of them. "In an hour or so. Chewie has the _Falcon_ ready. We just thought we'd come to say goodbye."

"Do you know when you'll be back?" asked an invested Poe.

Cade shook his head. "No. But we hope to make contact with you as soon as when we can."

Finn and Poe nodded, knowing they would not see their friends for a while. As they were leaving, Rey put a hand on the recovering man's shoulder. "We'll see each other again soon." With that, Cade and Rey left their friends behind to begin their journey.

* * *

Visibly refreshed after his long period of inactivity, R2-D2 led the way up the _Millennium Falcon_ 's boarding ramp. Nearby, Chewbacca was performing the usual last-minute checks with Rey of the ship's external systems.

Standing at the foot of the ramp, an uncertain and uneasy Leia found herself fiddling with the seals on the front of the jacket Cade was wearing. A light grey jacket over a dark blue shirt. Brown combat pants and polished boots completed the look. Besides the red hair and the sand-tinted beard, he looked just like his uncle. _Foolish nonsense_ , she told herself even as she continued. Cade stopped her hands from continuing any further. "It's alright, Leia," Almost as if reading her thoughts, he spoke what they both had been thinking for a while now. He looked down at his boots. "I'm nervous about seeing him again too."

Leia straightened. "I'm proud of what you're about to do," she told the boy. "They would have been proud too."

"I know this is the right thing to do." He looked up again and she was taken back nearly thirty years to the first time her brother stared at her with the same blue eyes. The same eyes full of hope and kindness. "I wish you could come with me."

Leia smiled gently, reassuringly. "It has to be this way. It has to be you that finds him." He nodded, then stepped away. Rey and Chewie had finished the preparations and ascended the ramp. He did as well but turned around to take one last look at the woman who had become his second mother. "May the Force be with you." She smiled as she said it and waved. He returned the wave and walked inside the ship. Leia watched the ramp close, then joined Poe, BB-8, and C-3PO on the tarmac.

In the cockpit, Rey was in the pilot's seat as Chewbacca was finishing up his instrument checks beside her. A series of moans came from the Wookiee as Artoo rolled up beside Cade, beeping an affirmative that all diagnostics had been completed. Cade looked to Rey.

"Whenever you're ready, Captain." He gave her a wink as he plugged in their coordinates. Chewie reached over with both his hands and mussed their hair. The two of them grinned at the Wookiee, having no idea how much this gesture meant to Rey. R2-D2 beeped happily.

Reaching out, Rey let her fingers play over the controls. Beside her, Chewie did likewise as the ship rose. It began to blast off from the landing platform as members of the Republic waved them off. Leia knew this was the beginning of something spectacular. She watched as the ship exited the atmosphere.

Inside the _Falcon_ , the coordinates were set. It was now or never. Chewie pulled the lever and they were soon surrounded by the swirl of hyperspace.

* * *

The blue orb emerged in front of them as the ship dropped out of hyperspace. Two moons orbited nearby. Cade announced the name of the planet, Ahch-To, as they approached. The planet was mainly ocean, dotted with a sprinkling of towering islands formed by black rock from erupting volcanoes eons ago. Greenery caped the stony flanks, falling in emerald waves toward the azure sea. Above the calm waters, flying creatures on wide wings of translucent white hunted for fish too close to the surface.

A great uproar broke out among the wheeling flocks as the _Falcon_ descended towards the surface, cutting through clouds. The three in the cockpit noticed a larger island off in the distance.

"There," Cade pointed. "That's the site of a Jedi Temple," he stated as a matter of fact. "If he would be anywhere on this world, it would be there."

Rey nodded and banked the ship toward the bigger island, slowing as she did so. A wide flat area at the base of the island's central mountain provided just enough room for the ship to touch down while avoiding the water. It sat there for a while. Slowly, an assortment of creatures, both large and small, observed the new addition to the rock formation with guarded curiosity.

The ramp descended and the ship's crew emerged. They waited for Chewie to join them but realized this journey would have to be made by themselves. Wookiee and droid look on as Rey and Cade began to make their way up the steep, jungle-clad incline. Occasionally they would pause and catch their breath, looking back each time and realizing they were getting closer to their goal.

Rey noticed the feeling within Cade swelling up again and decided to address it. "What's wrong?" she asked him on one of their breaks.

Cade, in attempting to be honest with her, told her his truth. "My father and I… We didn't part ways on the best of terms." He leaned against the rock. "He had told me it was for a reason. But when he wouldn't tell me where he was going, I felt abandoned. He told me to trust in the Force." He shook his head. "But what sixteen-year-old is going to do that?"

He said nothing more on the matter and their journey continued. So old were the stone steps that the front edges were worn down by the thousands of footsteps. Every step seemed to take an eternity. It did not help matters that the climb was steep and the air humid. The two of them never once thought about turning around.

Eventually, finally, they found themselves in a small clearing occupied by several modest stone structures, which reminded Cade of a similar village once located on Dantooine. The prospect was unbearably primitive. They made their way through the abandoned village to a small cliff.

They halted abruptly. In front of them was the individual they had long sought after.

Luke Skywalker.

Floating around him were three rocks. He was obviously in deep meditation. Both Cade and Rey hesitated for a while until finally, Cade stepped forward to within feet of the man. He cleared his voice, not sure if he would be able to voice the words he wanted to say for so long.

"Hello, father."

Luke said nothing at first, but slowly lowered the rocks to rest around him. He opened his deep blue eyes, unaffected by age. Kindness emanated from his voice. "Hello, Cade."

He stood up and turned around. His hair and beard were completely white, a new addition since the last time the son had laid eyes upon the father. He was wearing simple brown robes, not unlike the black ones he had worn for most of his adult life. His countenance was calm. "I'm glad you finally found me."

Cade simply nodded, not entirely sure what to say. His father approached, sizing up the man his son had become. He smiled widely, then embraced his son. Cade was both suprised and happy. All worry and frustration from the past several years faded away. Not wanting to embarrass him anymore than he already had, Luke pulled away from his son, his attention turned towards Rey. She stood there with determination against the wind on the cliffside. "Who's this?

Cade knew Rey was bound to introduce herself eventually. "I'm Rey," she said, a slight hint of nervousness in her voice. Not entirely sure what to say, she impulsively stated where she was from. "From Jakku."

Luke smiled and Cade was reminded of fond memories of his childhood for the briefest of instances. He had felt her presence in the Force the moment they had landed, almost as if he already knew her. "Well, Rey from Jakku. Why are you here?"

Both Rey and Cade looked at one another, not saying anything. Rey decided she wished to speak first. "To learn the ways of the Force."

Cade agreed and added, "We want to become Jedi. The galaxy needs us. All of us."

Luke nodded and said nothing, instead eying up the two youngsters inquisitively. He eyes moved toward his son; fixed upon the lightsaber which once belonged to him. Cade handed him the weapon and Luke held it in his hands for a moment, not saying a word. The lightsaber had been in their family for nearly half a century. His reminiscence ended when he noticed the location of the sun, as it was beginning to drop rapidly, and handed the weapon back to Cade. The younger man clipped it to his belt.

Luke then began walking towards the small village. He stopped, putting his hands on their shoulders. "Your first lesson is tomorrow morning. Come. Let us talk." The older Jedi walked toward his hut, leaving both Cade and Rey in his wake. They smiled at one another before following the older man. If only for a short time, they had found a small glimmer of hope.

They wondered what would happen next.


End file.
